Saudi Film Festival director recommends 3 movies to get an authentic taste of Saudi life

If art is the portal to a person’s soul, then the film could be seen as the portal to a culture’s soul. The director of the Saudi Film Festival, Ahmed Al Mulla, said: “In Cinema, you have it all: poetry, music, costumes, food, literature. You can tell the full story of life through film.”

In 2018, in accordance to the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, the government started opening new cinemas for the first time in over 30 years. Until the move, films were largely watched on VHS and DVD – and several Saudi-made films were screened at festivals abroad.

There are many stories still to tell about Saudi’s culture

Now, the Middle Eastern country has a lot of young artistic talent in the film industry, the director highlighted, noting the individuals have been all across the globe studying, have come back and are managing tasks concerning every aspect of the film.

The Saudi Film Festival is expected to continue to be a growing resource for filmmakers domestically and help raise awareness about the Saudi film industry abroad. The expert said since the initiative, Saudi has already become the 10th largest importer of foreign films.

He believes the Kingdom is massive, adding: “That gives us a lot of rich cultures to draw from.” The place is “full of treasures” and there are many stories still to tell about its heritage, he noted, recommending three films produced in the past decade to get a little taste of Saudi life.

3 best films to better understand Saudi culture

Last Visit

An adolescent son and his middle-aged father had to head for their hometown and their relationship becomes strained after a series of unforeseen events. The relationship between father and son is one of the deepest themes in Saudi culture, Al Mulla said.

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Zero Distance

In the early 2000s, a passionate photographer and his close friend own a studio. But later, he mysteriously finds memory loss pills prescribed to him. Things become more complicated as complete strangers recognise him, seemingly, from a past life.

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Wadjda

It’s the first feature film shot entirely in the country and the first feature-length film made by a female Saudi director. The project is about a girl signing on for get school’s Quran recitation competition, in order to raise money to buy a green bicycle to race against a boy.

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