RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s second European Film Festival is being held at VOX Cinemas Sahara Mall in Riyadh, with the screening of 16 films from different countries.

The festival, running until June 14, includes Oscar-nominee “Quiet Girl,” “I am Zlatan” by Jens Sjogren, telling the story of Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and “Sugar and Stars” by Riadh Belaiche, which will be screened for the first time in the Arab world at the festival. 

The event is held in cooperation with the embassies of the EU member states and Arabia Pictures Entertainment.

Patrick Simonnet, EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said: “We are keen to be part of the growing cultural scene of Saudi Arabia through various events that foster cultural exchange and engage Europeans and Saudis on aspects of mutual interest such as film in this instance. 

“People-to-people engagement is an important pillar of the EU’s strategic partnership with the Gulf.”

Abdulelah Al-Ahmary, founder of Arabia Pictures Entertainment, said it was keen to make the festival “a special cinematic experience for all the film buffs in Saudi Arabia.”

The festival will also give European and Saudi filmmakers the chance to swap ideas and knowledge at dedicated side events.

Guests will include directors Nuno Beato, Sebastien Tulard and Isabel Fernandez from Portugal, France and Spain respectively, who will meet the audiences and run an open conversation with filmmakers and film enthusiasts.

All screenings and side events will take place at VOX Cinemas Sahara Mall.  The full festival list has films from Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.