It's that time of year again! The 9th annual Saudi Film Festival is set to kick off on 4th May 2023 at Ithra in Dhahran, and will run until 11th May. The event has been organized by the Cinema Association and supported by the Saudi Film Commission, with the sponsorship of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
This year's festival boasts the theme of "The Comedy," featuring a stunning display of 78 films within 48 screening groups, with an additional four groups dedicated to children's entertainment. Director of the Saudi Film Festival, Ahmed Al-Mulla, raves about the extended partnership between the Cinema Association and Ithra, which began in 2015. Comedy was selected as the festival's main axis to shed light on a genre that sparks surprise and laughter, with aesthetic symbolism and meaningful connotations. The festival will open with an animated short film for the first time ever. The opening film, "Saleeg," was created by none other than Saudi filmmaker Afnan Bawyan.
"I did not expect to see 'Saleeg' selected for the festival opening," said Bawyan in a statement. "I just wanted my film to be showcased to the public in Saudi Arabia. I feel content yet there is some tension at the same time because the responsibility is big." The movie, "Saleeg" is a short film - a 9 minute and 39 second piece, produced in 2022 using various puppetry techniques. It was filmed in Amsterdam at 5 A.M. Studios, a stop-motion animation studio. The name of the movie is inspired by the traditional Saudi dish from Taif in the Makkah region.
Director of the Saudi Film Festival Ahmed Al-Mulla
Moreover, Noura Al-Zamil, director of programs at Ithra, has explained that this year's Saudi Film Festival is a continuation of Ithra's role in promoting the film industry and supporting its fields. It also showcases their keenness to develop national talent in line with the Kingdom's efforts to find a prominent place for cinema and the fields of acting, directing, scriptwriting, and everything else related to the film industry. The festival will also be showcasing eight films through virtual reality devices for the first time.
