On May 23, 'Norah' will screen at Cannes, the first Saudi film ever selected in the festival's 77-year history, shot entirely in AlUla with a local cast.
Film AlUla, the film agency of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), has received both the Emerging Location Award and the Film Commission Award at the Global Production Awards ceremony in Cannes.
Speaking about the achievement, Charlene Deleon-Jones, Executive Director of Film AlUla, said: “Less than five years ago, Film AlUla was established to develop a vibrant film industry, while diversifying the local economy, providing opportunities for local filmmakers and fostering global collaboration. Since then, we have been dedicated to building the infrastructure, policies, and teams that will transform the lives of a generation of filmmakers and filmgoers alike.
“AlUla, known as the ‘Living Museum’ with 7,000 years of history, offers a breathtaking landscape for the creative community. Combined with the warmth and enthusiasm of its people, it has the potential to become a central hub for international filmmaking. This recognition at Cannes is an achievement and reflects the incredible efforts of our teams and the support of leadership at both local and national levels.”
The Global Production Awards celebrate the production and location work pivotal in bringing films and shows to the screen. The awards highlight initiatives, projects, and endeavours that uphold the highest standards in sustainability, diversity, and ensuring local economies benefit from productions in their regions.
These accolades mark a triumphant Cannes Film Festival for Film AlUla as it spearheads the Saudi screen sector’s ascent onto the global stage.
Earlier in the day, Film AlUla hosted a screening of excerpts from short films by the four inaugural winners of the AlUla Creates Film Programme, aimed at supporting Saudi female directors. These winners underwent an intensive mentoring programme, transforming their short-film ideas into projects ready for festivals.
On May 23, Norah, entirely shot in AlUla with an all-Saudi cast, will be the first Saudi feature to join the official selection at Cannes in the festival’s 77-year history. Norah has secured international distribution rights.
As a key player in Saudi Arabia’s film industry development since 2020, Film AlUla has facilitated over 700 production days. Recent projects include season three of the cryptocurrency drama Paper Empire, the music video for The Monolith by DJ David Guetta, the feature film Siwar by Saudi director Osama Alkhurayji, director Shahad Ameen’s Hijra, and Netflix reality series Dubai Bling and Soy Georgina. Additionally, eight-time Grammy-winning artist Anderson Paak’s directorial debut K-POPS! is slated to commence filming in AlUla later this month.
Previous shoots include the action movie Kandahar starring Gerard Butler, and the Russo brothers’ drama Cherry starring Tom Holland, and Norah.
To meet the escalating demand from producers, Film AlUla is constructing world-class infrastructure. Phase One, completed, features two 26,000 sq ft soundstages, 15,400 sq ft workshops for each stage, a production building with hair and makeup rooms, and the Film AlUla Residence offering 300 fully furnished units. A recording studio is set to open in June 2024.
