“Najd,” a Saudi film by producer and writer Khaled Al-Rajeh, and featuring Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al-Fahad, will make its debut in Saudi Arabia this year. The film, which centers on the love story of a young couple, is in its final stage of completion according to statement made by Al-Rajeh.
“We are currently working on completion of the film, produced and directed by Samir Aref in a number of heritage areas, including the Sodos and the Al-Aynah areas, as well as some places in Kuwait.”
Al-Rajeh also explained that preparations for the film began two years ago and work began following the approval of the General Authority for Entertainment and the decision to lift the almost four-decade-long ban on public cinemas in Saudi Arabia.
“We worked hard to produce a purely Saudi piece, but I found most artists already engaged with other work. Therefore, I started looking at other Gulf names. The first one I was introduced to was Hayat Al Fahad, who read the text and agreed immediately after expressing her admiration for it,” he said.
According to Arab News, Al-Fahad revealed a little about the film’s plot, saying, “It is about young couple’s story — the wife who keeps a secret throughout her life.”
The title of the movie is in reference to the geographical central region of Najd in Saudi Arabia (covering the regions of Riyadh, Qassim, and Hail), where almost 30 percent of Saudis live. According to the Saudi Gazette, the timeline of the film spans between the 1950s and today, “with the Vision of 2030.”
Other cast members of “Najd” include Ali Al-Sab'a, Amira Mohammed, Zahra Al-Kharji, Majed Matarab, Mohammed Al-Kanhal, Emtanan Mohammed, Nasser Al-Rabian, and Mohammed Haridi.
