DHAHRAN: The ninth Saudi Film Festival kicked off at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran on Friday with local and international film and media professionals walking the red carpet.
Many of them expressed their excitement about the industry’s future in the Kingdom.
Saudi actress Reem Al-Habib told Arab News that, as a young girl, she could never have imagined her life as it is now. “Back in the day, I would never have thought that this would happen, but (Crown Prince) Mohammed bin Salman made me live this moment. I have goosebumps,” she said. “Now I can stand in my country and say I’m a Saudi actress and proceed from there. The world will look at us and take us as role models.”
Director Salma Murad, whose movie “Kabreet” is screening at the festival, expressed her excitement too. “The fact that the movie is real, and Saudi, and the fact that I am with my Saudi brothers and sisters, makes me very proud and happy,” Murad said. “I think this festival in particular promotes all filmmakers very positively, and thank God I’m part of this experience. My advice to the young ones is to keep at it. No matter how difficult it gets, just keep doing it.”
After the red carpet, participants headed to Ithra’s Cinema Hall where Saudi producer Salah Al-Fawzan — founder of Shamel Productions and producer of 34 feature films since the mid-Eighties — and Bahraini screenwriter Amin Saleh were being honored by the festival for their significant impact in the film industry, which has, according to the organizers, paved the way for cinema professionals today.
The winners of this year’s festival’s awards — valued at more than SR1.5 million ($400,000) — will be announced on May 11.
Saudi Film Festival opens with glamor and gratitude on the red carpet
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Saudi Film Festival opens with glamor and gratitude on the red carpet
- Saudi actress Reem Al-Habib told Arab News that, as a young girl, she could never have imagined her life as it is now
- Director Salma Murad, whose movie “Kabreet” is screening at the festival, expressed her excitement too
Saudi Arabia expresses regret over damage to Qatar’s embassy building in Ukraine
- Qatar said that its embassy in the Ukrainian capital was damaged during Russian strikes the night before but that its staff were unharmed
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has expressed regret over damages sustained by the building of Qatar’s embassy in the Ukrainian capital during a Russian attack.
Qatar said that its embassy in the Ukrainian capital was damaged during Russian strikes the night before but that its staff were unharmed.
The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement shared on X that the kingdom “expresses its profound regret over the damage sustained by the embassy building of the fraternal State of Qatar due to shelling in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.”
Saudi Arabia also “renews its supporting position for diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis by peaceful means,” it added.
The ministry also affirmed the need to provide protection for members of diplomatic missions, and their premises, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
