DHAHRAN: Filmmaking and cinema are a powerful art form used to communicate social, cultural, emotional and political messages.
Despite all the challenges, Saudi Arabia has become a breeding ground for young aspiring filmmakers, producers, cinematographers, media personalities and actors.
Speaking with members of the filmmaking community on the fifth day of the Saudi Film Festival, Arab News observed a sense of optimism, pride and excitement for the filmmaking industry in the Kingdom and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Ajwa Al-Joudi, co-master of ceremony at the festival who returned to the Kingdom after pursuing a master’s degree in television and radio in the US, said things have evolved immensely.
She presented the Saudi Film Days event in Los Angeles in November 2016. The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts recognized her work and asked her to present the fourth edition of the Saudi Film Festival. Al-Joudi said she is enjoying the process and the opportunity to meet people in her field.
“The movies being screened are great, but we can do so much more. I hope to see movie adaptions of Saudi literature and books,” she said.
“I’m pleasantly surprised and glad to have come at a time when the foundation (for the film and media scene) has been laid down,” she added.
“The future of the filmmaking industry in Saudi Arabia looks great, and I won’t be surprised if five or six years down the line we hear about cinemas opening up.”
Drawing inspiration from a true story, filmmaker Abdulmohsen Al-Mutairi created “Daesh Girl” during his government-funded graduate studies in the US.
The movie is about a woman who joins Daesh in a secret mission to fight against it. The film has been screened in 20 film festivals, and has garnered positive reactions thus far.
“The story focuses on humanity, on women’s rights. It’s about passion and art. The message is to fight extremists anywhere in the world,” Al-Mutairi said.
The promotional line of the movie makes quite a statement: “A film dedicated to everyone fighting the injustices of the world.”
He said: “We have the potential to evolve into a big industry. It would be a great place to invest, and we develop partnerships with our neighbors, the UAE and Kuwait. There are beautiful stories waiting to be told. There has been tremendous support from the community, both liberals and conservatives.”
Movies screened on the fifth day of the festival include “Sound” (social), “Coward” (drama), “Black Flag” (thriller), “In Day and Night” (documentary), “The Bliss of Being No-One” (drama) and “Sound of Love” (drama, music).
Festival-goers optimistic about Saudi filmmaking industry
Festival-goers optimistic about Saudi filmmaking industry
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Syrian conjoined twins arrive in Saudi Arabia for medical assessment
RIYADH: Syrian conjoined twins Celine and Eleen Abdulmoneim Alshibli, along with their family, arrived in Riyadh on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The twins and their parents were invited to the Kingdom upon directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, SPA added.
The twins travelled from Lebanon aboard a medical evacuation aircraft provided by the Saudi Ministry of Defense.
They are scheduled to undergo a comprehensive series of medical evaluations at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh, and these assessments will determine the feasibility of performing a separation surgery.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the supervisor-general of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief and head of the surgical and multidisciplinary team, thanked the Kingdom’s leadership for the humanitarian initiative.
“This act underscores Saudi Arabia’s dedication to humanitarian values and its globally recognized medical expertise,” Al-Rabeeah said. He also highlighted the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts in providing medical, humanitarian and relief support worldwide.
The Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, established in 1990, has under the management of Al-Rabeeah separated dozens of conjoined twins from countries around the world.
The family of the twins thanked the Saudi leadership, government and citizens for the warm hospitality and support extended to them since their arrival. They also expressed their trust in the capabilities of the Saudi surgical team, renowned for their expertise in handling similarly complex medical cases.
Saudi Arabia expresses condolences to South Korea after passenger plane crash
- All but two of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters
- Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences to the government and people of South Korea and wished the injured a speedy recovery
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has expressed its condolences to the families of those who died after a plane travelling from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival on Sunday.
A passenger plane skidded off a runway at a South Korean airport, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its front landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters.
The Jeju Air plane crashed while landing in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers south of Seoul. The Transport Ministry said the plane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that had arrived from Bangkok and that the crash happened at 9:03 a.m.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry also expressed its condolences to the government and people of South Korea and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Saudi project clears 3,174 Houthi mines in Yemen
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 3,174 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included three anti-personnel mines, seven anti-tank mines and 3,164 unexploded ordnances, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 476,432 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.
Baha festival set to launch with 280 activities
RIYADH: Preparations are complete for the start of the Baha Winter Festival. More than 67 parks and gardens, some 14 sports, and health walkways are ready to welcome visitors and residents, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The festival will boast a diverse lineup of activities and attractions across the Tihama governorates, including Al-Makhwah, Qilwah, Al-Hijrah, and Ghamid Al-Zinad, highlighting the region’s cultural, historic, and natural treasures.
Ali bin Mohammed Al-Sawat, the secretary of the Baha region and chairman of the festival’s executive committee, said the event will offer more than 280 recreational, cultural, sports, and social activities for all age groups and interests.
Al-Sawat spoke of Tihama’s unique climate and environmental diversity, stretching from the Red Sea coast to the peaks of the Sarawat Mountains.
The region’s valleys, green plains, and majestic Shada Mountain provide breathtaking views and a peaceful escape for visitors, he said.
With a variety of restaurants, cafes, and shopping destinations, the area has become a prime attraction for tourists seeking to enjoy the winter season in the Kingdom, the SPA added.
With its rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and diverse activities, the Baha Winter Festival promises an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
Global sculptors to transform Riyadh’s landscape
- Artists from 23 countries will shape city’s cultural legacy using local stone
RIYADH: The Riyadh Art program has announced the participating artists for the Tuwaiq International Sculpture Symposium, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event, scheduled to take place at ROSHN Waterfront, will run from Jan. 15 to Feb. 8, 2025, under the theme “From Then to Now.”
Using stone sourced from the Tuwaiq area, the completed pieces will be displayed around the city from Feb. 12 to 24 as part of the Kingdom’s national public art initiative.
A flagship project of Riyadh Art, launched on March 19, 2019, the Tuwaiq International Sculpture Symposium seeks to foster artistic and cultural exchange through community partnerships, workshops, panel discussions and other activities.
It also aims to integrate artistic practices into Riyadh’s cultural landscape, according to the SPA.
The registration period for the symposium’s sixth edition drew significant global interest, with more than 750 applications submitted from 80 countries.
An independent committee of art and sculpture experts evaluated the submissions, ultimately selecting 30 artists from 23 countries to create public art sculptures using locally sourced stone, further enriching Riyadh’s cultural fabric.
The 2025 symposium will be curated by architect and artist Sebastian Betancur-Montoya and sculpture specialist Manal Al-Harbi.
Betancur-Montoya said: “We celebrate the constant challenges faced by artists this year. These challenges are a major source of inspiration, allowing everyone to create a legacy that bridges the past, present, and future in innovative and humane ways.”
The symposium has had more than 120 local and international artists participate over the past five years. It mirrors Riyadh Art’s public initiative that works to enhance the city’s cultural landscape through art, and which has now housed more than 1,000 public art pieces in neighborhoods, parks and other spaces.
