The lineup features road films, travel stories, and movies shaped by physical or emotional journeys.
The Saudi Film Festival, organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture and supported by the Saudi Film Commission, will run from April 23 to 29 at Ithra in Dhahran, bringing together regional and international filmmakers for its latest edition.
This year’s festival adopts the theme “Cinema of the Journey,” focusing on films that treat movement and transformation as core storytelling elements. The program will feature a curated mix of Arab and international short and feature films, including road movies and travel-driven narratives where physical or emotional journeys shape the plot. Organisers say the theme invites Saudi filmmakers to interpret the idea of journeys through their own creative lenses, framing cinema itself as a continuous act of transition where identity, place and time intersect to reflect the human experience.
Building on its tradition of spotlighting global cinema, the festival will dedicate a special focus this year to Korean filmmaking, following last year’s emphasis on Japanese cinema. The segment is designed to broaden cultural exchange and expose audiences and filmmakers to diverse storytelling traditions.
Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the festival, said the event remains centered on creators and aims to foster an environment of inspiration and collaboration. He described the festival as an open platform that encourages dialogue, idea sharing and learning, celebrating cinematic creativity across disciplines.
Tariq Al-Khawaji, the festival’s deputy director, highlighted Ithra’s ongoing partnership with the Cinema Association as a key driver of the event’s expansion and thematic diversity. He noted that the collaboration has helped strengthen filmmaker support and deepen engagement with international cinema, while the festival’s steady growth has increased expectations locally and regionally, making careful planning essential.
Launched in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has become a cornerstone for nurturing Saudi and Gulf cinema. After intermittent early editions, it has evolved into an annual platform featuring narrative and documentary competitions, industry initiatives and project markets. By convening emerging and established filmmakers in Dhahran each year, the festival continues to reinforce Saudi Arabia’s expanding footprint on the global film landscape.
