Saudi Film Festival returns to Dhahran spotlighting journey-driven storytelling
The lineup features road films, travel stories, and movies shaped by physical or emotional journeys.
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The lineup features road films, travel stories, and movies shaped by physical or emotional journeys.
Workshops will be held at Hayy Cinema in Jeddah, with additional training delivered on-location where crews will be shooting their original stories.
The commission will spotlight Saudi filming locations and milestones, including 'Norah', the first Saudi film selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section.
A psychological thriller following Samaan, a young security guard who belongs to a generation whose parents were murdered by religious violence in the Arab region over the past decade.
The selected films will screen across the prestigious Perspectives, Panorama and Forum sections.
The film follows a six-year-old trapped under fire in Gaza as Red Crescent volunteers race against time to save her.
The 2026 festival, occurring under the direction of Tricia Tuttle, highlights a significant presence of Arab filmmakers, with Tunisia's Leyla Bouzid also in the main Competition with a new, undisclosed...
Through strategic partnerships, new training initiatives and the promotion of local creators, the organisation is strengthening its commitment to developing a sustainable, homegrown media industry.
The lab will support 18 selected participants through online masterclasses, in-person writers’ workshops, and focused pitch preparation sessions.
Eldin serves on the three-person International Short Film Jury for the 76th Berlinale, evaluating 21 nominated films.
'Shelter' secured the #1 spot in the MENA region with a $2.2m opening frame, outperforming its initial, and somewhat soft, US opening.
The film is an international co-production between France, Palestine, Germany and Portugal, with additional support from Qatar and Jordan.
The latest cohort also features 10 projects by Qatari and Qatar-based filmmakers, including documentary 'When The News Breaks You', as well as the short films 'A World of Donkeys' and...
The film is directed, produced, and written by Mohamed El Samman.
Mahmoud Sabbagh wrote and directed the film and also serves as producer through his Jeddah-based El-Housh Productions, in co-production with boutique company Nine Projects, which is based in Cairo and...
The film follows the Red Crescent response to the killing of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl, by the Israel Defense Forces during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The story highlights the 1936–1939 Great Strike, portraying life, love, and resistance during the British Mandate.
The Egypt-Denmark-Saudi co-production is produced by Ahmed Amer of Cairo-based A.A. Films and Patricia Drati of Copenhagen-based Good Company Pictures.
The film follows a six-year-old trapped under fire in Gaza as Red Crescent volunteers race against time to save her.
The film delves into the long-term impact of childhood trauma, bullying and the consequences of suppressed emotional pain.
The 2025 documentary, directed by Sepideh Farsi, portrays daily life in Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli military campaign through a series of video calls between the filmmaker and a young...
Together, the three releases highlight the growing international profile of Tunisian cinema, offering Egyptian audiences a diverse selection of stories shaped by regional voices and global acclaim.
The festival’s 10th edition brings together global experts through a programme featuring more than 126 sessions and talks, 72 workshops and 280 portfolio review sessions.
The programme offers an immersive evening of film and food where audiences can experience storytelling through place, memory, and exceptional cinematic experiences.
The film follows a six-year-old trapped under fire in Gaza as Red Crescent volunteers race against time to save her.
Tickets are priced at $68.07 for adults and $34.04 for children aged between six and 11, while entry is free for children aged five and under.
The winning film was chosen from 3,500 submissions spanning 16 countries.
This marks Disney’s fifth time surpassing the $6bn mark, following similar milestones in 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.
The presence of these titles from MAD Films at PIFF underscores the company’s expanding footprint in global cinema.
Set against the backdrop of Mandate Palestine, the film revisits the events leading up to the Arab Revolt of 1936.
The Spring 2026 Grants Programme offers a significant opportunity for filmmakers to secure funding, advance their careers and contribute to the global cinematic landscape through original work.
The film transports viewers to 1936, during the height of the Great Palestinian uprising against British Mandate rule.
The day is marked by cultural and training activities including free or reduced-price screenings, panel discussions, workshops with directors and filmmakers and showcases highlighting emerging talent.
The meeting explored ways to strengthen Dubai’s film ecosystem by building on existing strengths and addressing industry needs in production, talent and collaboration.
A total of 400 hours of films were reviewed by a specialised committee comprising 40 experts and specialists, which selected the initial shortlist.
Worldwide rights to the film are managed by GoodFellas, while distribution across the MENA region is overseen by Film Clinic Indie Distribution.
As part of this integrated approach, the Abu Dhabi Film Commission has signed strategic partnership agreements with more than 10 Arab studios and production companies to produce 17 Arabic language...
The festival’s strong debut highlights Fujifilm Middle East’s commitment, with Cinema Akil and Gulf Photo Plus, to nurturing visual storytelling and emerging regional talent.
The film received support from the Doha Film Institute, OSN+, Media City Qatar and Film Clinic, with the Red Sea Fund serving as an executive producer.
It is the first time four Arab films have made the shortlist for the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
The winning project was selected by a distinguished three-member jury of regional and international film professionals for its artistic strength and authentic Saudi storytelling.
The programme provides training courses and workshops that span every phase of filmmaking, including script development, directing, cinematography, editing and post-production.
The film follows a six-year-old trapped under fire in Gaza as Red Crescent volunteers race against time to save her.
The agreement with Effat University’s Cinematic Arts School aims to empower Saudi women filmmakers through financial and professional support.
The new unit will also back distribution strategies for local and international releases, ensuring films reach the audiences they are intended for.
The Women In Cinema Gala encapsulates the Red Sea Film Foundation’s commitment to supporting female filmmakers at every stage of their journey, from concept development to international recognition.
The festival, which has spent two decades establishing its reputation in the competitive short film arena, will hold its first Middle Eastern edition from Dec. 12–14, offering regional filmmakers a...
Dabis, 2025 Variety International Vanguard Director Award winner, lauded for her fearless work at the event.
The film transports viewers to 1936, during the height of the Great Palestinian uprising against British Mandate rule.
The industry platform, held alongside the Red Sea International Film Festival, concluded in Jeddah with 10 jury awards and multiple cash and in-kind prizes totalling roughly $700,000.
The film was co-written by Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour, who also directed it.
Telfaz11 will tap MDLBeast Records’ music library and talent network to bring Saudi and regional sounds into its films.
The film draws inspiration from actual events in Tunisia, where sub-Saharan migrants faced a wave of hostility in the media and on the streets, resulting in violence, unjust detentions and...
Worldwide rights to the film are managed by GoodFellas, while distribution across the MENA region is overseen by Film Clinic Indie Distribution.
This year’s festival also features a lineup of short films from around the world, including ‘Further’ from US director Forrest Minchinton.
Nahla Al Fahad is regarded as one of the UAE and the Middle East’s foremost directors across commercials, entertainment, documentaries, and music videos.
The film is an international co-production involving companies from Egypt, Tunisia, Qatar, Germany, Sudan, France and Saudi Arabia.
The ceremony included a cultural segment where young Chinese and Egyptian filmmakers delivered a bilingual reading of 'The Date with Cinema'.
The initiative is designed to support the advancement of the regional ecosystem while contributing to the growth of Qatar’s creative economy through intensive labs and specialised workshops throughout 2026.
The inaugural edition of festival showcased 97 films from 62 countries, screened across four competitive sections as well as a gala strand.
