JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is gearing up for the 2024 Riyadh International Book Fair, which is set to take place from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5 at King Saud University in Riyadh.

With about 2,000 local, Arab and international publishing houses and agencies from more than 30 countries adorning 800 booths, this year’s fair promises to be a celebration of literature, knowledge, and creativity.

The fair will host writers, thinkers, and intellectuals from Saudi Arabia and beyond, making it a pivotal literary platform in the region.

Qatar will be the guest of honor at the fair. The rich cultural and intellectual legacy of the country will be on display through a dedicated pavilion featuring rare manuscripts and publications from Qatar’s Ministry of Culture.

Leading literary and artistic luminaries, alongside key organizations from Qatar’s cultural landscape, will feature at the event.

Mohammed Hasan Alwan, the CEO of the commission, said that the fair illustrated the unwavering support for cultural endeavors in Saudi Arabia.

Alwan said: “The fair offers visitors a unique intellectual and cultural experience, incorporating the latest technologies and digital solutions. Attendees can discover thousands of new releases across various fields and enjoy a wide range of activities and events within the diverse cultural program, featuring prominent cultural figures from Saudi Arabia and beyond.

“This makes the 2024 edition a truly inspiring cultural journey, building on the successes of previous editions.”

This year’s fair boasts a dedicated business zone, with participation from literary agencies managing authors’ works and contracts, and with printing presses offering services to publishers. Additionally, there will be government and financial institution booths related to the publishing business sector.

The zone will host special sessions and workshops on topics such as entrepreneurship, licensing and copyright.

The fair will also feature a children’s area brimming with literary, cultural, and entertainment activities aimed at igniting the spark of curiosity in the young generation.

By championing local authors, providing a platform for self-published works, and offering a diverse range of cultural activities, the fair reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to nurture creativity and promote literary innovation.

The fair’s diverse cultural and intellectual activities are to be hosted in partnership with the Cultural Channel.

The program includes dialogue sessions, workshops, poetry evenings, and concerts and artistic performances designed to enrich the cultural sector, foster knowledge and promote reading as a way of life, while contributing to the sustainability of the cultural and intellectual renaissance underway in Saudi society.

DUBAI: Egyptian actress Mona Zaki and the Egyptian Film Syndicate announced this week that the film “Flight 404” will be Egypt’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards.

This means that the film will be considered for the shortlist. If the movie gets shortlisted, it could then get nominated for an Academy Award.

The movie tells the story of Ghada, who, just days before her Hajj pilgrimage, is confronted with an emergency that requires a large sum of money. Forced to seek help, she must turn to individuals from a troubled past she had promised to leave behind.

Besides Zaki, the film, directed by filmmaker Hani Khalifa and scripted by Mohamed Ragaa, stars actors Mohamed Farag, Mohamed Mamdouh, Shereen Reda, Khaled El-Sawy, Mohamed Alaa, Hassan Al-Adl, Sama Ibrahim, Shadi Alfons, Rana Raies, Gihan El-Shamashergy and Arfa Abdel Rassoul.

The Oscar’s 97th edition is set to take place on March 3, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. 

Key dates for the 2025 submissions and voting were announced earlier this year. The deadline for general entries and Best Picture submissions is Thursday, Nov. 14. Preliminary voting for shortlists in ten categories will occur between Dec. 9-13, with the results to be revealed on Dec. 17. The nominations voting period will run from Jan. 8-12, and the official nominations will be announced on Friday, Jan. 17—a shift from the usual earlier-in-the-week schedule.

Last year, Egypt selected Mohamed Farag-starring “Voy Voy Voy!” as its entry for the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film award, while Yemen selected director Amr Gamal’s “The Burdened” and Tunisia competed with Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters.” Morocco selected Asmae El-Moudir’s documentary “The Mother of All Lies.” 

Jordan submitted Amjad Al-Rasheed’s movie “Inshallah a Boy” and Palestine submitted Lina Soualem’s documentary “Bye Bye Tiberias.” 

None of the films won at the 2024 Oscars, though “Four Daughters” was nominated for Best Documentary Feature, a category ultimately won by “20 Days in Mariupol.” This marked a historic moment for director Kaouther Ben Hania, as she became the first Arab woman to receive a second Oscar nomination.