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Arab News
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Winners take to stage as curtain falls on 11th Saudi Film Festival
DHAHRAN: The 11th Saudi Film Festival, which was hosted at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, concluded with a dazzling showcase on Wednesday following a week of cinema-centric programming. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ The celebration took place after the final films were screened, and featured a selfie-heavy red carpet at which Saudi fans stood waiting for their favorite stars to arrive. Just as on opening night seven days earlier, Saudi actors Aixa Kay and Khaled Saqer hosted. There were no musical numbers or performances this time around, just awards and heartfelt speeches. The big winners were invited on stage to collect their Golden Palm Awards — which resembled film strips sprouted in the shape of a palm tree and drenched in gold — after each jury provided a short speech as to why the winner had been chosen. A post shared by (@saudifilmfestival) The award for Best Feature Film was given to 'My Driver & I,' directed by Ahd Kamel. It was collected by the film's star — who played teenage Salma — Roula Dakheelallah. The Golden Palm Award for Best Feature Film (GCC) went to the Iraqi film 'Songs of Adam' by Oday Rasheed. The films 'Hobal,' 'Siwar,' and 'Holes' each received special recognition from the jury for their cinematography. Meshal Al-Mutairi received the Golden Palm for Best Acting. 'Mera, Mera, Mera' by Khalid Zaidan won the Golden Palm for Best Short Film. A post shared by (@saudifilmfestival) The Abdullah Al-Mohaisen Award for a first film was presented to 'Sharshura' (The Hearse) by Ahmed Alnasser, who shared with the audience that he was a volunteer at SFF in 2014 at the second edition, and that he would place his new award next to his baby who was born that morning. The Golden Palm for Best Short Film (GCC) was awarded to 'Delusion' by Issa Al-Subhi, with 'The Last Dismissal' by Jawaher Alamri earning special recognition from the jury. 'Othman in the Vatican' by Yasir bin Ghaneem won the Golden Palm for Best Documentary Film, while the award in the GCC was awarded to 'The Dark Side of Japan' by Omar Farooq. Ahmed Al-Mulla, the festival's director, said: 'We are gathered once more for cinema at the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival. 'We arrived with stories and dreams in our hearts. In just a few short days we have listened to tales that were not only watched, but deeply felt. 'Each year you return to this space and fill it with warmth — with your hearts and with your creative spirit. 'You move through the rhythm of the festival as if it's a language you've always spoken. We thank everyone — those behind the curtain, those who adjusted the lights, and those who stayed with us until the last shot. Thank you to those who chose to be here — cinema does not call to us in vain.'
Arab News
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
11th Saudi Film Festival opens with a night of cinema, culture, stars
DHAHRAN: The red carpet was rolled out for the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival on Thursday, as the event confirmed its role as a cornerstone of the Kingdom's burgeoning movie culture. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Hosted by the dynamic duo — Saudi actors Aixa Kay and Khaled Saqer — the celebration at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran was brimming with glamor and drama. Saudi opera singer Mohammed Khayran Al-Zahrani and renowned French soprano Fabienne Conrad serenaded the crowd, while a live orchestra performed a medley of classical renditions of popular film scores under the direction of maestro Gevorg Sargsyan. The event was organized by the Cinema Association in strategic partnership with Ithra — an Aramco initiative — and was supported by the Saudi Film Commission of the Ministry of Culture. This year's festival, with the theme 'Cinema of Identity,' delves into the power of storytelling to reflect and shape cultural, personal and collective narratives. At the opening, Cinema Association chairwoman Hana Al-Omair emphasized the theme's significance. 'We present this year's edition at a time when Saudi film production is undergoing noticeable growth. Saudi films are no longer rare appearances; they are now competing for prime slots in Arab cinemas. This reflects an artistic momentum worth pausing and reflecting upon,' she said. She also highlighted the festival's special focus. 'In addition to the usual festival activities, we are shining a spotlight on the Japanese cinema experience, which has had a profound impact on world cinema, thanks to its artistic schools, rich experience and global history,' she said. Opening night saw visitors treated to the premiere of 'Siwar' by Osama Al-Khuraiji. The program, which runs until April 23, is packed with events including a steady stream of stars, film screenings, seminars, workshops, masterclasses and the coveted Golden Palm awards. Since its founding in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has become the Kingdom's longest-running cinematic event. This year, 36 out of 68 screenings are Saudi and Gulf films, comprising eight narrative features, 21 shorts and seven documentaries. Parts of the proceedings, and some other festival events, are being live-streamed. For more information about buying tickets, visit the Ithra website.
The National
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
All Love is Blind international versions ranked, from Habibi to Sweden
Is love really blind? Since 2020, couples around the world have been trying to prove that – mostly unsuccessfully – in Netflix's hugely-popular reality show Love is Blind. Following its debut, set in the US, the show has spawned eight international versions, including Love is Blind: Habibi, the Arabic edition, which premiered in October last year. The format is similar across all editions. A group of single men and women looking for love are introduced to each other through 'pods', where they can interact but not see the other person. Once participants have chosen their prospective partners, the couple meet for the first time and become engaged. They are then flown to a luxury resort where they spend time together and get to know each other better. In the final stage of the experiment, those couples still together go back to their respective lives where they meet each other's families and friends, and are given 10 days to prepare for their wedding. From Brazil to the UK and Japan, each edition of Love is Blind has proven to be a hit, turning some of its cast members into overnight celebrities. Love is Blind: Habibi, for instance, was viewed more than 1.3 million times in the first seven days after its debut. It also ranked No 8 globally among Netflix's non-English shows. With the second season of Love is Blind: Sweden set to start on Friday, Love is Blind: France coming later this year and Love is Blind: Italy also announced, here are all the international editions so far ranked by fan ratings on IMDb. Watch out for spoilers from reunion episodes Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 5.3/10 Viewership in first week: 1.3 million (season one) Hosts: Khaled Saqer and Elham Ali The Arabic-speaking version of Love is Blind become a massive hit, dominating social media chats and debates for weeks after its premiere in October. Featuring 20 singles – 10 women and 10 men – from across the Arab world and North Africa who are all residents of the UAE, the series was filmed in Lebanon, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Six couples progressed to the next stage and were flown to a luxury resort in Lebanon, where their relationship was further tested. Eventually, out of two couples who made it to the wedding day, only one – Safa and Mohammed – exchanged vows. Speaking to The National a few weeks after their debut, cast members shared how their lives had changed thanks to the popularity of the show. 'This experience didn't just transform me, it shaped me into a person I never imagined I could be,' Mohammed said. 'It opened up a whole new world and revealed aspects of myself I hadn't recognised before. Beyond discovering 'the one,' I found myself.' Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 5.4/10 Viewership in first week: 1.2 million (season one) Hosts: Omar and Lucy Chaparro One of the most dramatic editions, Love is Blind: Mexico debuted in August last year. Of the nine women and nine men taking part, six couples made it to the next stage and only one couple, Karen and Fernando, made it to the altar. At the reunion episode, which aired three weeks later, the couple confirmed they were still together and had even started a business. Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 5.4/10 Viewership in first week: 1.3 million (season one) Hosts: Steffi and Chris Wackert-Brungs German TV presenter Stephanie 'Steffi' Brungs and her husband Christian Wackert-Brungs host this show, which premiered in January. Only one couple, Alina and Ilias, have remained married, however. Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 5.6/10 Viewership in first week: Data unavailable Hosts: Dario Barassi and Wanda Nara Launching in November last year, Love is Blind: Argentina saw two couples get married. In a break from format, Florencia Fernandez and Jose Luis Farina, who did not get engaged during the pods segment, returned to the show as a couple during the honeymoon phase. Interestingly, they are the couple who have managed to stay married, which was revealed in the reunion episode. Number of seasons: 4 IMDb rating: 6.2/10 Viewership in first week: 2.1 million (season four) Hosts: Camila Queiroz and Klebber Toledo The first country to get its own version, Love is Blind: Brazil debuted in October 2021 and production for season five is in progress. Hosted by celebrity couple Camila Queiroz and Klebber Toledo, this edition is as dramatic as reality shows can get. In season one, for example, there was a massive twist in the fairy tale: Nanda – who originally chose Thiago over Mackdavid – revealed in the reunion episode that she and Thiago had separated and that she had got back with Mackdavid. Nanda and Mackdavid welcomed a baby named Ben in 2022. IMDb rating: 6.2/10 Viewership in first week: 5 million (season eight) Hosts: Nick and Vanessa Lachey The OG show, there have been eight seasons of this edition hosted by celebrity couple Nick and Vanessa Lachey. In season eight, released in March, five couples were featured, out of which only one – Taylor Haag and Daniel Hastings – got hitched. The couple married in March 2024. The show has won the Critics' Choice Real TV Awards, which recognise achievements in non-scripted shows, three times – in 2020, 2022 and 2023. It has been renewed for its ninth and tenth seasons, with two seasons typically released each year. Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 6.5/10 Viewership in first week: 1.7 million (season one) Host: Jessica Almenas Sweden's version premiered in January last year, with five couples moving to the next stage of their relationship. Three couples celebrated their wedding, out of which Krisse-Ly and Rasmus recently revealed she was pregnant. Amanda and Sergio also announced they were expecting their first child, a boy named Ralph, in May last year. The second season of Love is Blind: Sweden premieres on Thursday. Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 7/10 Viewership in first week: Unavailable Hosts: Takashi Fujii and Yuka Itaya The second country to get a spin-off after Brazil, Love is Blind: Japan premiered in February 2022 and featured eight couples who found their potential true loves. But six couples separated before their wedding day, leaving only Wataru Mizote and Midori, as well as fan favourites Ryotaro and Motomi, to get hitched. The couples are still married with both pairs now becoming parents. A second season was announced in March but was later cancelled. Number of seasons: 1 IMDb rating: 7/10 Viewership in first week: 3.6 million (season one) Hosts: Matt and Emma Willis Matt Willis, co-founder of the English pop-punk band Busted, hosts this show with his wife, broadcaster Emma Willis. Debuting in August 7, the show featured seven couples who found their prospective partners. But out of these, only three made it to the altar. In the reunion episode, it's revealed that Steven and Sabrina had called it quits after saying 'I do', leaving just two couples who successfully found love – Benaiah and Nicole, and Bobby and Jasmine.
