RIYADH: Award winners were crowned on the final day of the fourth Gulf Cinema Festival in Riyadh on Saturday, at a ceremony attended by prominent artistic and cinematic names, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The winners were nominated by a jury headed by Ibrahim Al-Hasawi from Saudi Arabia, who was joined by Bassam Al-Thawadi from Bahrain, Rawda Al-Thani from Qatar, Khaled Amin from Kuwait, Nujoom Al-Ghanem from the UAE and Ibrahim Al-Zadjali from Oman.
“Hajjan,” a coming-of-age drama set in Saudi Arabia about two brothers who battle to save their favorite camel starring Omar Al-Atawi and Abdulmohsen Alnemr, won the award for best feature film.
It also picked up the best photography award, with Jerry Fassbender recognized for his work on the film. Al-Atawi won the best actor award for his role.
The best actress award went to Bahraini Maryam Zeman for her part in the movie “My Word.”
The award for best short film went to the heavily tipped “Clouds,” about a widower and war veteran who are forced to balance their own morals with societal expectations in southern Oman, directed by Muzna Almusafer.
The award for best documentary film went to Mansoor Al-Dhaheri’s climate change expose “Swimming 62.”
Ziad Al-Hussein took home two awards, including one for best director, for his film “Shiabni Hani.”
The award for best original soundtrack went to Khaled Al-Kammar for his music that featured in the movie “Hawjan,” a modern twist on the ancient Arab jinn mythology, which also opened the latest edition of the Red Sea Festival last year.
The Gulf Cinema Festival was held under the patronage of Saudi Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, who is also chairman of the board of directors of the Film Commission, which organized the event.
This year’s festival hosted screenings of 29 films, three training workshops and six cultural seminars.
Abdullah Al-Qahtani, CEO of the commission, said in a speech during the ceremony that the festival embodied a commitment to supporting the film sector in the region and building bridges for cinematic cooperation between the Gulf countries.
He thanked Prince Badr for his sponsorship and support of the festival and the film sector in Saudi Arabia, as well as the general secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Award winners crowned at close of Gulf Cinema Festival in Riyadh
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Award winners crowned at close of Gulf Cinema Festival in Riyadh
Deal signed to promote falconry on Hawi platform
- The deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition
- The agreement will help enthusiasts form falconry clubs and produce supplies via the Hawi platform
RIYADH: Saudi Falcons Club’s CEO Talal Al-Shamaisi, and Khalid Al-Baker, the Quality of Life Program’s CEO, have signed a memorandum of cooperation to support falconry and establish amateur clubs through Hawi, the national hobbies portal.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition, which is being held in Malham, Riyadh, until Oct. 12, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The agreement will help enthusiasts form falconry clubs and produce supplies via the Hawi platform. It will also facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration to promote falconry and enhance the community’s cultural and recreational life.
Hawi, an initiative of the Quality of Life Program, aims to stimulate the hobbies sector by creating clubs while providing a supportive environment.
The memorandum supports the club’s goals to increase the number of falconry practitioners, preserve cultural heritage, promote environmental awareness, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for falconry.
Separately, the Saudi Falcons Club and King Khalid University have signed a memorandum of cooperation to implement awareness initiatives and rehabilitation programs related to falcons and falconry.
The agreement also includes research and training programs in falconry. It aims to attract investors, share data and studies, and collaborate on events, exhibitions, and conferences.
Saudi project clears 1,579 Houthi mines in Yemen
- A total of 465,252 mines had been cleared since Masam's inception in 2018
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,579 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included five anti-personnel mines, 126 anti-tank mines, 1,442 unexploded ordnances and six explosive devices, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 465,252 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
Project Masam is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people, clearing routes for humanitarian aid to reach the country’s citizens.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.
Moon-Venus conjunction visible in northern Saudi Arabia
- Celestial show after sunset over the Northern Border region was visible to the naked eye
RAFHA: A spectacular celestial event occurred over Saudi Arabia’s northern skies on Saturday night, with the moon and Venus in conjunction, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Known as a conjunction, the phenomenon in the sky after sunset in the Northern Border region was visible to the naked eye, with the moon and the planet separated by just three degrees.
A conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close to each other in the sky and share the same celestial longitude, according to astronomer Berjis Al-Fulaih.
Al-Fulaih, an official with the AFAQ Society for Astronomy in Taif, noted that Venus is often referred to as the “Evening Star” or the “Morning Star,” depending on its position in the west or east.
The alignment marks the beginning of the moon’s monthly journey past the bright planets.
In an interview with SPA before the celestial event, Jeddah Astronomy Society chief Majed Abu Zahra said the appearance of the crescent moon and Venus together shortly after sunset, before the sky darkened fully, created the spectacular view.
“As the second and third brightest objects in the night sky, after the sun, they will present a striking view,” he said.
A faint glow, caused by sunlight reflecting off Earth (known as Earthshine), will softly illuminate the unlit part of the moon’s disk, he explained.
Abu Zahra said there will be another astronomical event in mid-October: the arrival of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which will appear 20 to 25 degrees northwest of Venus on Oct. 13 and 14. The comet may even be visible to the naked eye, although comets are notoriously unpredictable.
By Oct. 25, Venus will appear three degrees north of the star Antares. Toward the end of the month, Venus will draw closer to Earth, with its disk measuring 14 arcseconds and being 77 percent illuminated, Abu Zahra told SPA.
Saudi Arabia’s PIF considers larger stake in Nintendo
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said on Saturday it was considering raising its stake in Japan’s Nintendo and other Japanese gaming companies, according to reports.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, vice chair of the PIF’s gaming unit, disclosed the plan in an interview with Kyodo News.
He said that the PIF was “not in a rush to increase its stakes” and that the investments would be made in a “friendly way.”
The PIF currently owns 8.58 percent of Nintendo and has stakes in video game companies Capcom, Nexon, and Koei Tecmo.
National heritage will be ‘biggest driver’ of Saudi economy
- Riyadh book fair is a testament to Kingdom’s focus on culture and heritage, says Prince Sultan
RIYADH: National heritage will be the biggest driver of the economy under Saudi Vision 2030, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman and founder and chairman of the nonprofit Al-Turath (Heritage) Foundation.
He was speaking at the foundation’s annual meeting held under the theme “Confident Steps Toward the Future” at the Riyadh International Book Fair, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
A documentary film about the foundation’s journey, highlighting its key initiatives and most important milestones, was screened.
HIGHLIGHT
Prince Sultan bin Salman also spoke about the Al- Turath Foundation-produced documentary film “Okath Al-Badr,” which covers stories from the life of Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz.
Another film showed the launch, at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran, of the book “King Salman,” an Al-Turath Foundation initiative sponsored by Saudi Aramco to coincide with the 94th National Day.
Prince Sultan said that the book fair is a testament to the attention the Kingdom gives to culture and national heritage, which will become the biggest drivers of the economy.
The book, which Prince Sultan described as a gift to the nation, covers different stages in the life of King Salman alongside the Kingdom’s founder King Abdulaziz and other Saudi rulers.
Prince Sultan said that the Al-Turath Foundation has experienced continuous development since its establishment 28 years ago, printing books, conducting research, archiving historical photos, and documenting the nation’s history over the course of more than a quarter of a century.
Prince Sultan also spoke about the Al-Turath Foundation-produced documentary film “Okath Al-Badr,” which covers stories from the life of Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz.
The meeting was attended by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, founder and trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; Prince Faisal bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman and chairman of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives; Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority; and several princes, officials, and ambassadors to the Kingdom.
The Riyadh International Book Fair, themed “Riyadh Reads” and featuring over 800 pavilions, is organized yearly by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission.
It began on Sept. 26 and runs until Oct. 5, with over 2,000 publishing houses from 30 countries participating. The schedule includes seminars, panel discussions, poetry recitals, stage performances, and workshops.
