Saudi film ‘Last Visit’ wins big at Marrakech Film Festival

Saudi-directed film "Last Visit" won the Jury Prize at the 18th edition of the Marrakech Film Festival. Supplied
Updated 08 December 2019
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Saudi film ‘Last Visit’ wins big at Marrakech Film Festival

  • Saudi Arabian feature “Last Visit” directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan won the Jury Prize at the 2019 Marrakech Film Festival
  • It wasn't the only Arab production to win big as Tunisia's Ala Eddine Slim clinched the Best Directing Prize

DUBAI: Saudi Arabian feature “Last Visit,” directed by movie critic-turned-director Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan, jointly won the Jury Prize at the 18th edition of the Marrakech Film Festival. The movie, which premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic in July, is the first feature by Aldhabaan.

Shot in remote areas of Najan, 107 km from Riyadh, the film focuses on a strained father-and-son relationship.

Saudi films are having quite a moment. Just last week, the Shahad Ameen-directed film “Scales” was named the best film in the Asian feature section at the 30th Singapore International Film Festival.

“Last Visit” won the Jury Prize alongside Chinese film “Mosaic Portrait” by Zhai Yixiang.

The Saudi-directed drama wasn’t the only production representing the Arab world to win big at the 2019 edition of the annual film festival, which takes place in the North African nation’s historic Jemaa El-Fna Square in Marrakech’s old town. Tunisia’s Ala Eddine Slim clinched the Best Directing Prize for his second feature film, “Tlamess.”

Meanwhile, taking home the biggest prize of the night was Colombia’s “Valley of Souls,” directed by Nicolás Rincón Gille, which won the Etoile d’Or for best film. Each award was presented by actress Tilda Swinton who was also a member of the jury.


Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles

Updated 11 January 2026
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Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles

DUBAI/ LOS ANGELES: US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.

The “Pluribus” and “Better Call Saul” actress opted for an ankle-length daytime dress from Saab’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection that featured a sharp collar, cap sleeves and two pockets placed on the bodice.

She was dressed by celebrity stylist Jessica Paster, who regularly works with the liked of Emily Blunt and Quinta Brunson.

US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. (Getty Images)

Other attendees at the luncheon event included Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Coogler, Timothee Chalamet and George Clooney.

According to The Associated Press’s Jonathan Landrum Jr., the institute celebrated the collaborative nature of film and television by honoring creative teams — in front of and behind the camera.

Inside the ballroom on Friday there were no acceptance speeches in the traditional sense and no suspense over envelopes. Instead, the AP reported, AFI’s ceremony unfolded as a series of thoughtfully written tributes: eloquent rationales for each honored film and television program, followed by brief clips designed to place the year’s work within a broader cultural and artistic context.

Films honored include “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Jay Kelly,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Train Dreams” and “Wicked: For Good.”

Television shows recognized were “Adolescence,” “Andor,” “Death by Lightning,” “The Diplomat,” “The Lowdown,” “The Pitt,” “Severance,” “The Studio” and “Task.”

Closing the ceremony was US comedian and actress Carol Burnett, who delivered AFI’s annual benediction, celebrating the honorees’ achievements while reflecting on her own lifelong love of cinema and television.

“I’ve never lost the deep respect and love that I have for all the stories we tell through cinema and television and by all of those behind and in front of the camera,” Burnett said. “Creative collaboration has always remained at the heart of our work, and AFI brings us all together. The world is a better place for having heard your voices.”

The luncheon also featured AFI’s signature March of Time video montage, a sweeping look at cinematic and television milestones from decades past, situating this year’s honorees within the evolving history of the medium.