RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will attend the closing ceremony of the National Cultural Awards initiative, organized by the Ministry of Culture, on April 19 in Riyadh.
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan praised the crown prince’s “generous patronage of this cultural event,” which honors creative people in the Kingdom, including entrepreneurs and the youth, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
He said that this ceremony will crown the nation’s greatest intellectuals, and “is an indication of the appreciation, attention, and care that culture enjoys from the Saudi leadership, in light of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which raised the value of culture and gave it its high position as one of the components of quality of life and the main components of national identity.”
The minister extended his thanks to King Salman and the crown prince for their continuous and growing support for the culture sector and its various creative fields in all regions of the Kingdom.
During the closing ceremony — which will be held at the Culture Palace in the Al-Safarat neighborhood, Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter — the winners of the initiative’s awards will be honored. There are 14 categories of awards covering various cultural fields in the Kingdom, including film, theater, fashion, music, literature, architecture, visual arts, culinary arts, national heritage, publication, and translation.
There are also cultural awards for Personality of the Year, youth, and cultural institutions.
The awards ceremony brings to an end the journey the National Cultural Awards initiative has made since it began in June last year, during which it received about 15,000 nominations from the entire cultural community. The screening process began in October, the eliminations were held in November, and the evaluation and judging process was in December, the SPA said.
The nominations were distributed among the different branches and specializations of the initiative.
The Ministry of Culture organized the awards initiative as part of the initiatives of the Quality of Life Program, one of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 programs.
It aims to “provide established honorary paths for cultural achievements in the Kingdom, and to celebrate the accomplishments of Saudi creative makers, whether individuals, groups, or institutions in all cultural sectors.”
The initiative is based on the ministry’s belief in the importance of local cultural production, and raising it to higher levels of quality and mastery, to create a competitive cultural environment that enriches and diversifies cultural content.
Saudi crown prince to attend National Cultural Awards closing ceremony
https://arab.news/jhdxs
Saudi crown prince to attend National Cultural Awards closing ceremony
- The ceremony will crown the nation’s greatest intellectuals, says culture minister
- National Cultural Awards initiative began in June 2020
Saudi Film Festival to return in April with focus on Korean cinema
- Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do
DHAHRAN: 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, has announced that it will launch at Ithra in Dhahran between April 23-29.
This year’s festival explores the theme of “Cinema of the Journey,” presenting a selection of Arab and international films, both short and feature-length, that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
The theme encourages Saudi filmmakers to explore this subject through their own perspectives. It positions cinema itself as an act of continuous transition, where identity, place, and time converge to shape the human experience.
FASTFACTS
• This year’s Saudi Film Festival will explore the theme of ‘Cinema of the Journey,’ presenting a selection of Arab and international films that center on journeys and movement as essential storytelling elements.
• The program includes road movies, travel narratives and films where physical or emotional journeys drive the narrative.
Following last year’s focus on Japanese cinema, the festival will present a special “Spotlight on Korean Cinema” this year.
Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said in a statement: “We’re excited to welcome filmmakers to our annual gathering. Our doors are open to all creators, and filmmakers remain at the heart of everything we do. This year’s festival creates an atmosphere filled with inspiration, idea exchange, and shared learning. It’s a celebration of cinematic creativity for everyone.”
Tariq Al-Khawaji, deputy director of the festival, added: “At Ithra, we’re proud of our longstanding partnership with the Cinema Association. It has enabled the festival’s growth and thematic diversity year after year, which we see clearly in how we empower filmmakers and create opportunities to engage with global cinema.
“The festival continues to grow across all areas, from preparations and participation to industry expectations locally and regionally. That makes attention to every detail essential.”
Since its launch in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has played a central role in nurturing local and Gulf cinema. After intermittent early editions, it has now established itself as an annual platform for narrative and documentary competitions, industry programs and project markets.
By bringing together emerging and established filmmakers in Dhahran each year, the festival strengthens Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the global film stage.
