Shot over more than 55 days in eight Saudi cities, the story unfolds against the backdrop of Hajj.
Saudi Arabia has selected Shahad Ameen’s female-centered drama Hijra as its submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, the Saudi Film Commission announced.
The film made its world premiere in September at the Venice International Film Festival, screening in the Venice Spotlight sidebar, where it won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film. Hijra follows the journey of 12-year-old Janna, who embarks on a pilgrimage to Mecca with her strict grandmother Sitti and her rebellious older sister Sarah. What begins as a spiritual trip quickly takes a turn when Sarah suddenly disappears, prompting a desperate search across Saudi Arabia. As Janna and Sitti struggle to find her, they confront deep-seated fears of the father’s reaction and unearth long-buried secrets from Sitti’s past, leading to a powerful story of revelation and redemption.
Ameen describes Hijra as a meditation on “the quiet revolutions of women in motion,” exploring how the meaning of freedom shifts across generations and time, particularly through the lens of Saudi women’s experiences.
Considered one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential female filmmakers, Shahad Ameen has been at the forefront of the country’s cinematic renaissance since the lifting of the 35-year ban on cinemas in 2017. Her debut feature, Scales (2020), also represented Saudi Arabia as its Oscar entry, earning international acclaim for its poetic storytelling and feminist perspective.
Hijra was lead produced by the Iraqi Independent Film Center in collaboration with Jeddah-based Bite Ameen and Ideation Studios, with key support from the Red Sea Fund, Film AlUla, Daw Film, the Saudi Film Commission, Neom Media and the Ithra Film Fund.
Saudi Arabia began submitting films to the Oscars in 2013, with Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Wadjda marking its first-ever entry. With Hijra, the Kingdom continues to showcase its growing cinematic identity and commitment to telling stories that reflect the evolving voices of its filmmakers—particularly those of women shaping a new era of Saudi cinema.
