Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion

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Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
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Updated 07 October 2024
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Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion

  • Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1
  • Trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma

RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series “Future’s Folktales.”

Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, “Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales” will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1 in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as TV Tokyo in Japan, starting Nov. 1.

It will also be available in North America, Europe and Latin America, with platforms to be announced later this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma, which blend traditional tales with futuristic visions.

Fifteen Saudi artists and producers from Manga Productions contributed to character design and creative direction, showcasing a diverse array of traditional environments and costumes that reflect the rich cultures of the Arabian Peninsula.

Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary said: “The growing global interest in the distribution of Asateer2 Future’s Folktales across various international platforms is clear evidence of the success of our young talents in creating content that meets international standards and can compete on the global stage.”

He added: “At Manga Productions, we remain committed to producing innovative works that inspire the new generation and enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a beacon of creativity, while ensuring we maintain the highest standards of quality and excellence in everything we do.”

Creative Director at Manga Productions Sara Oulddaddah said that during the production of Asateer 2, “We focused on enhancing our internal production capabilities and providing opportunities for Saudi talents who worked diligently with our partners across all stages of production.”

She added that “through Asateer2, we aim to continue sharing our inspiring Saudi culture, history and fantasy with the world, while contributing to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s creative content industry.”

The new season, which combines Saudi creativity with Japanese expertise, continues the remarkable success of the first season, which exceeded 100 million views worldwide, SPA reported.


Kef Hayyak? Seeing Saudi neighborhoods through the eyes of emerging filmmakers

Updated 30 April 2025
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Kef Hayyak? Seeing Saudi neighborhoods through the eyes of emerging filmmakers

JEDDAH: Eighteen aspiring filmmakers have taken to the streets of their neighborhoods armed with nothing but their phones and a vision for the grassroots documentary challenge, “Kef Hayyak?”

The project, initiated by Art Jameel in collaboration with the Red Sea International Film Festival, invited participants to reflect the spirit of their communities in short documentaries.

Months after the February 2025 open call, the winners have been announced, and their films will premiere as part of the Red Sea Documentary Days this May at Hayy Cinema.

The program, which began as a concept in 2021 and has since grown into an annual platform, continues to break down barriers in filmmaking by expanding access to wider creative communities across Saudi Arabia. For the first time, the 2025 event also welcomed participants from Makkah, with one of the city’s filmmakers making it to the jury-selected top three.

The initiative culminates in a public screening at Hayy Cinema, featuring the three jury-selected winners — Eyad Al-Zahrani’s “Between,” Asia Lajam & Nad’s “A World Between Buildings,” and Alisha Khan’s “Nam Ghar, Jeddah” — alongside two audience favorites, “Hay Alakaber” by Amal Al-Zahrani and Othoub Al-Bedaiwi, and “From the Olives to the Sea” by Haya Al-Bhaisi and Mohammed Khalid.

A jury, comprising head of Hayy Cinema, Zohra Ait El-Jamar, director and actress, Fatima Al-Banawi, and director and actress, Ophelie Legris — evaluated the films based on creativity, relevance and narrative strength.

El-Jamar told Arab News: “‘Kef Hayyak?’ draws its essence from the name of Hayy Jameel and reflects our ongoing mission to connect with new audiences in meaningful ways. The project was first imagined in 2021, and after the success of its first edition, it has grown into an annual platform that empowers emerging filmmakers.

“Through this short documentary film competition, we invite aspiring talents to explore their neighborhoods using just their phones. I created the concept with the vision of breaking down barriers in filmmaking and expanding access to a wider creative community. It’s also a powerful way to document the ever-changing urban fabric of Jeddah — and now Makkah.

“We see this as a powerful launchpad for emerging talent, and we’re actively working to expand the program with deeper mentorship and professional opportunities in the years to come,” she added.

Audience Choice Award winner, Al-Zahrani, who hails from Makkah, said: “The movie covers a neighborhood that lacks identity and how it affects me and the residents in our day-to-day lives. Winning was such a heartwarming experience, seeing my work acknowledged and the story of my people and neighborhood embraced and loved. I plan to keep improving my documentary skills and hope to release a movie about a lawyer later this year.”

Khan’s winning documentary explores the Musrefah neighborhood of Jeddah and its vibrant Desi (Pakistani and Indian) community.

“My film ‘Naam Ghar, Jeddah’ is a documentary film which acts as a time capsule for me to look back on not only my neighborhood but the people living in it, especially the often-overlooked Desi community in Jeddah, where even the people themselves think the outer world is not interested in them,” Khan said.

“It aims to explore their dreams, identities and quiet resilience through simple, human questions, like what is your favorite color or what gives you happiness.”

Khan believes in the power of cinema to humanize and connect communities, emphasizing how platforms such as Hayy Jameel empower storytellers like herself. Her goal is to keep documenting life in Jeddah, capturing its present for future generations.

Al-Bhaisi told Arab News: “‘From the Olives to the Sea’ is a short documentary that explores the contrast and emotional connection between two places — Jeddah, where I feel a deep sense of belonging, and Gaza, the place I’m originally from but never fully connected with.

“Winning the Audience Choice Award honestly means the world to us. It shows that people connected with our story, and that’s all we ever wanted — to be heard, and to make others feel something real.”


Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout

Updated 29 April 2025
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Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout

ABU DHABI: Ben Ross, CEO of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, joined Kazakh-Russian film director and producer Timur Bekmambetov on Tuesday at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi to discuss screenlife, a pioneering format developed by Bekmambetov that is coming to the region for the first time.

Screenlife is a style of filmmaking where the entire story takes place on a digital screen — through text messages, video calls, social media and other everyday apps — reflecting how people communicate in today’s tech-driven world. Notable examples include the horror film “Unfriended” (2014) and the mystery thriller “Searching” (2018).

Ben Ross (L) and Timur Bekmambetov (R) at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi. (AN Photo by Mohamed Fawzy)

In the session, Ross and Bekmambetov announced that they have selected eight stories from UAE filmmakers to bring to life after the launch of the Screenlife Program in June 2024, which aims to help UAE citizens and residents master this new format and create authentic narratives with global resonance.

“We were drawn to it because it is so innovative and so forward-thinking,” Ross told Arab News. “We enjoyed the screenlife movies, and it just felt like a natural step to evolve it into this region.”

Bekmambetov emphasized the universality of digital communication. “The digital world is the same universally. There is a different cultural element … but every family has a WhatsApp chat with hundreds of people on it. My family in Kazakhstan have one, and the internet in Abu Dhabi is the same,” he told Arab News.

He said that the format is “socially very impactful” and can give voice to those often left out of traditional cinema. “Because it costs nothing, you can tell stories about your individual life with no money. It will help us to engage very different storytellers.”

Ross noted that the selected projects reflect a wide range of stories. “Every story that we have chosen ... stood out in its own way. There’s a huge variety being told — it’s not formulaic.”

Bekmambetov also noted that Muslim women lead very different lifestyles, saying, “maybe screenlife will bring their stories to life,” to which Ross added that some of the stories currently in development already do.


Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments’

Updated 29 April 2025
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Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments’

DUBAI: US singer Kehlani has taken to social media after her appearance at Cornell University’s annual campus concert was cancelled due to her pro-Palestine stance.

Last week, Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced he was withdrawing the R&B singer’s invitation to perform at the event due to what he called “antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Kehlani (@kehlani)

“Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year’s headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day,” Kotlikoff wrote last week, referring to the concert.

“For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani’s invitation and expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly.”

He continued: “In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt, and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media. While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it.”

In a new Instagram video responding to the cancellation, Kehlani said: “I am being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again for the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew. I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I’m anti the bombing of innocent children, men women… that’s what I’m anti.”

The 30-year-old, a frequent collaborator with the Jewish Voice for Peace group, added a caption, stating: “I know you’ve seen Cornell University cancelled my show, and now there are attempts at other cancellations on top of the cancellations I’ve already experienced over the past year. If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your Zionism. don’t make it anti-Jew. this a played out game. all this because we want people to stop dying. I hope this helps.”

 


‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan talks Palestine support

Updated 29 April 2025
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‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan talks Palestine support

DUBAI: Irish actress Nicola Coughlan – who rose to fame for her role in Netflix hit series “Bridgerton” – was awarded the Commitment Prize by French media company Konbini at Canneseries, where she also gave a career talk.

During the hour-long masterclass, Coughlan spoke in depth about not only her work on shows like “Derry Girls” and “Doctor Who,” but also her support of Palestine. 

“There is a factor of ‘it’s better if you say nothing’ because our job is to entertain you,” said the actor when asked about speaking in support of Palestine, according to a report by Variety. “My dad was in the Irish Army, which is a peacekeeping force. My family lived in Jerusalem and Syria in the 70s, so it’s something that is in my bones. We are talking about right or wrong, about children being bombed in their beds. I wouldn’t accept that anywhere in the world.”

The actor, who was given the award for being a “talent actively making a change well beyond television,” continued by highlighting how there has “always been a connection between Palestine and Ireland,” and that the two countries have “shared ideals and struggles.”

“Any country in the world that was facing this, I would talk about it. It’s not difficult. For me, the killing of innocent people is never right,” she said.

Coughlan just landed her first BAFTA nomination for her role in “Big Mood.”

“I never got to play anyone like her before, because she is quite cool, in a way. It’s a comedy that morphs into a drama. It bends the genre. She’s difficult, she’s funny.”


Jameela Jamil takes Australia by storm

Updated 28 April 2025
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Jameela Jamil takes Australia by storm

DUBAI: Actress and body positivity activist Jameela Jamil ended her first speaking tour of Australia last night, during which she took her signature blend of radical honesty, humour and advocacy to packed theatres across the country.

The tour, titled “An Evening with Jameela Jamil,” opened in Sydney on April 26, continued in Brisbane on April 27, with the final stop in Melbourne last night.

After her Brisbane show, Jamil took to Instagram to thank her audience. “These are very new things I’m talking about, some of which I’m finding literally on stage during your Q and A section. It’s where I most learn how I really feel. Which is weird when in front of over a thousand people in PIN DROP silence.

“But I’ve unchained myself from a need to be performative or perfect. So I’m giving you my truest raw form in these talks. It’s the full me showing you my heart and not expecting you to embrace me. The fact that you do, has blown me away every night,” she wrote.

Jamil also took a moment to thank her moderator, April Helene-Horton, a body positivity activist.

“Big, huge thanks to @thebodzilla who stepped out of her comfort zone with me last night and did a smashing job. What a light of a human,” she wrote.

She also shared behind-the-scenes moments and audience interactions, giving fans a glimpse into the tour’s intimate atmosphere.​

In an earlier interview with Marie Claire, she said: “I could not be more excited to have candid, bold and rebellious conversations. I have always felt drawn to the culture, humour and tenacity of Aussies, and look forward to some spirited discussions.”

Known for her breakout role as Tahani Al-Jamil in “The Good Place,” Jamil has since become a leading voice in global conversations about body image and mental health. Her Australian tour offered audiences an unfiltered look into her personal journey — from her struggles with eating disorders and public missteps to her evolution into a fearless advocate for authenticity.

Jamil's tour also highlights her initiative, Move for Your Mind, a reimagining of her earlier I Weigh movement. This project aims to dismantle toxic fitness culture and promote mental well-being, encouraging individuals to prioritize their mental health over societal expectations.