Saudi Film Commission to host meeting on cinema for children

The Saudi Film Commission (SFC) is holding a discussion on children’s cinema. (SPA)
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Updated 19 July 2023
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Saudi Film Commission to host meeting on cinema for children

  • Topics of discussion will include the role of cinema in children’s psychological, educational, and cultural development, along with its influence on youngsters
  • Meeting is part of a series of discussions and conferences organized by the commission and featuring professionals and stakeholders who are interested in the genre

RIYADH: The Saudi Film Commission is to host a virtual meeting, “The Future of Children’s Cinema in the Arab Region,” on Thursday.

The commission is one of the cultural development entities established by the Ministry of Culture. Its objectives include developing the Saudi film sector and its production environment, along with motivating and empowering local filmmakers.

The topics of discussion will include the role of cinema in children’s psychological, educational, and cultural development, along with its influence on youngsters, and the overall role of filmmakers in this field.

The meeting is part of a series of discussions and conferences organized by the commission and featuring professionals and stakeholders who are interested in the genre and efforts to boost and improve filmmaking in the Kingdom.

The commission aims to enrich communication with the film industry by encouraging open dialogue to exchange experiences and knowledge, and to learn about filmmakers’ needs and proposals.

It is hoped that the dialogue will generate creative suggestions from specialists that could be helpful in developing the sector.

The commission has introduced several initiatives in the past, including the Daw’ Film Competition, Filmmakers’ Program, and 101 Film Studio.


Review: Star-filled ‘Eddington’ — a satirical thriller in small town America

Updated 11 sec ago
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Review: Star-filled ‘Eddington’ — a satirical thriller in small town America

CANNES: The memory of the COVID-19 pandemic still lingers, the deaths and the economic destruction it caused still play on the mind. Ari Aster’s “Eddington,” which just played at the Cannes Film Festival in France, is a brutal look at what the virus did to humanity, the kind of misinformation we were fed and the losses, monetary and emotional, we all suffered.

“Eddington” is a fictional town in the US state of New Mexico and the movie opens as lockdown begins.

In the Cannes title, the mayor of Eddington, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), and Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) are at loggerheads. Their bone of contention is the medical mask — Cross refuses to wear one thus setting a bad example, encouraging people to defy the rule.  Cross also resents Garcia's support for the construction of a giant online server farm and decides to run against Garcia as an anti-lockdown candidate in the upcoming mayoral election.

This forms the main plot, but interestingly it is the sub-plots that add pep and zing to the film. Cross's wife Louise (Emma Stone) suffers from hysteria and depression while Garcia's problematic teen son Eric (Matt Gomez Hidaka) is in love with Sarah (Amelia Hoeferie), who bills herself a warrior for social justice.

Aster manages to grip us with all these diversions and distractions in what could have otherwise been a rather dull narrative. The satire on the sidelines is hilarious, and despite a serious plot that treats the town as a microcosm of America’s problems — from police brutality to racism —   the writer-director manages to keep the audience engaged until the finish line.

The film could have done with tighter editing, though, and it isn’t till the halfway mark that the plot begins to speed up with a segway into a farcical crime thriller.


Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’

Updated 28 May 2025
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Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’

DUBAI: While promoting his latest film, “The History of Sound,” at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Irish actor Paul Mescal took a moment to spotlight the Palestinian documentary “No Other Land.”

In a heartfelt statement, Mescal shared his experience watching the film in a packed Brooklyn theater, expressing profound upset over its limited distribution. He emphasized the importance of amplifying Palestinian voices and stories, highlighting the film's portrayal of the destruction of Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank.

“I remember sitting there in a packed-out theater in Brooklyn and just being so profoundly upset that the film hadn’t, at that point, I still don’t know if it has received distribution there. Having a cultural moment like that with a film like that, which is so wildly upsetting to see in a room. The story that I feel like needed to be told the most was being censored, it felt like almost. And the feeling in the room was one of great fear and sadness and it felt like the film was bigger than the four walls in which we were watching it,” he said.

“No Other Land,” the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military, won the Oscar for best documentary earlier this year.

The film’s co-directors, Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham used their speeches to call for an end to the “ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”

The film follows activist Adra as he risks arrest to document the destruction of his hometown, which Israeli soldiers are tearing down to use as a military training zone.


Review: The Escape Hotel in Riyadh

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Updated 28 May 2025
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Review: The Escape Hotel in Riyadh

  • The Escape Hotel has a variety of themed rooms, each designed to challenge and excite

RIYADH: Are you in search of an exciting break from your routine with friends or family? Look no further than the Escape Hotel, with locations in Riyadh and Jeddah, which is an experience that will leave you buzzing long after the visit is over.

The experience is an escape game where teams work together to solve riddles and puzzles, using clues to escape a themed room. Each room has a specific storyline and challenges, and the goal is to complete the objectives and escape before the timer runs out.

The venue feels like something straight out of a horror movie, immersing you in a chilling atmosphere that will keep your heart racing.

Upon arrival, participants must sign waivers and leave their phones in a locker to enter one of the spine-tingling rooms.

The adrenaline rush is unparalleled, especially when faced with jump-scares like a zombie suddenly charging at you while you try to solve the room’s mysteries. It’s an intense blend of thrill and fun.

The Escape Hotel has a variety of themed rooms, each designed to challenge and excite. Options include the Zombie Suite, the Maintenance Room, the Elevator, the Jumanji Room, the Harry Potter Room, and the Pirate’s Dungeon. Each room presents puzzles and scenarios that require teamwork and quick thinking.

My friends and I tried the Jumanji Room, which was an absolute blast even as it leans more toward adventure than horror.

I also tackled the Zombie Room, which was a heart-pounding experience filled with challenging puzzles. We found ourselves screaming and laughing as we navigated the intricacies of the room. The design included hidden spaces that required us to bend, kneel, and crawl through tunnels, adding to the immersive experience.

The emphasis on teamwork is vital and you quickly realize how collaboration is key to winning.

They have locations in Jeddah and Riyadh. Overall, the Escape Hotel is a fantastic way to break the monotony of a typical night out.

 


Red Sea Souk opens industry program applications

Red Sea Film Festival fosters cross-cultural collaboration and creative opportunities in the global film community. (SPA)
Updated 27 May 2025
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Red Sea Souk opens industry program applications

  • The festival continues to serve as a key platform for cross-cultural collaboration and creative opportunities in the global film community and Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning creative sector

RIYADH: The Red Sea Souk has opened submissions for its Project Market and Work-in-Progress screenings, both set to run during the fifth Red Sea International Film Festival, taking place in Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district from Dec. 4-13 this year.

Held annually, the Red Sea International Film Festival amplifies the Kingdom’s creative and cultural diversity through programs designed to engage both public audiences and industry professionals.

The festival’s industry market, running from Dec. 6-10, brings together filmmakers, producers, investors, and cinema professionals from around the globe to support emerging talent and international co-productions.

FASTFACTS

• The Project Market is accepting submissions until June 20 for narrative, animated, and documentary projects currently in development or production.

• The Work-in-Progress program is open until July 29 to feature films in post-production.

The Project Market is accepting submissions until June 20 for narrative, animated, and documentary projects currently in development or production. Projects must be helmed by directors from Arab, African, or Asian countries, or by filmmakers of Arab origin.

Selected entries will receive tailored industry guidance and opportunities to pitch to distributors, festival programmers, and production partners.

The Work-in-Progress program is open until July 29 to feature films in post-production. It offers private industry screenings, mentorship, and networking with potential distributors, financiers, and festival representatives.

Both programs will strengthen film talent from Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab, African, and Asian regions, encouraging co-productions and international exposure.

The festival continues to serve as a key platform for cross-cultural collaboration and creative opportunities in the global film community and Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning creative sector.

 


Iran’s Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d’Or at Cannes

Updated 26 May 2025
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Iran’s Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d’Or at Cannes

DUBAI: Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi made a triumphant return to the global stage, winning the prestigious Palme d’Or for his latest film “It Was Just an Accident” at the 78th Cannes International Film Festival.

Panahi, long a symbol of artistic defiance in Iran, had previously faced imprisonment and a 20-year ban on filmmaking and international travel. His emotional appearance at the festival, where he received the award from jury president Juliette Binoche — a vocal supporter of his work — marked a significant moment for both the director and Cannes.

 

 

The political thriller centers on a former prisoner who kidnaps the man he believes tortured him and grapples with fellow dissidents over whether to exact revenge or offer forgiveness.

The ceremony also recognized other global talents. Chinese director Bi Gan received a special jury prize for “Resurrection,” while Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi made history as the first from his country to win the Camera d’Or for debut feature “The President’s Cake.”

 

 

Brazil’s Wagner Moura took home best actor honors for “The Secret Agent,” a 1970s-set political drama by Kleber Mendonça Filho, who also won best director.

German director Mascha Schilinski and Spain’s Oliver Laxe shared the Jury Prize for their respective films “Sound of Falling” and “Sirat.” The former is a sweeping multigenerational family saga, while the latter explores an apocalyptic vision of the Moroccan desert through techno-infused storytelling.

Actor John C. Reilly surprised audiences with a rendition of “La Vie en Rose” before presenting best screenplay to Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for “Young Mothers,” the Belgian brothers' latest social drama.