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In Conversation with the Saudi Pioneers Ibrahim Alhasawi and Meshal Almutairi

Two pioneers of Saudi cinema have played a crucial role in energizing the industry. Each has dedicated their talents to supporting young Saudi filmmakers, fostering creativity and innovation, and bringing untold stories to the screen. Their efforts have helped cinema tap into the wealth of experience already gained in theater and, above all, television. In this conversation, we explore the significance of traditional narratives crafted by exceptional actors, whose work has given young Saudi cinema a distinct identity. The contributions of two actors, formerly active in television series, are now working to elevate the role of actors in Saudi cinema. Ibrahim Alhasawi Ibrahim Alhasawi is a pioneering figure in Saudi drama and cinema. He is an actor, producer, and director having a career that spans over five decades. He began his journey in theater and wrote numerous colloquial poems, garnering numerous awards and honors throughout his career. Alhasawi is renowned for his complex and impactful roles. He has delivered exceptional performances in numerous television series such as "Tash Ma Tash," "Layla," and "Atr Al Jannah." In the realm of cinema, he has participated in over 11 films, several of which have won local, Gulf, and international awards. Among his most prominent cinematic participations, he appeared in the Bahraini film "Al Shajara Al Na’ima" (the sleeping tree) directed by Mohamedd Rashed Buali, and the Emirati film "Kabl An Nansa" (before We Forget) directed by Nawaf Al Janahi. Alhasawi has also shone in Saudi films such as "Al Masafa Sifr" (Zero Distance) directed by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, "Raven Song" directed by Mohammad Alsalman, and "Hajjan" directed by Abu Bakr Shawky. Today, he is collaborating once again with director Abdulaziz Alshlahei in the new film "Hobal," which is being screened at the fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. Meshal Almutairi Meshal Almutairi is a Saudi actor and producer who has contributed significantly to the vitality of Saudi cinema. He has produced numerous exceptional works, most notably series such as "Al Huboob" and "Om Al Qalayed," as well as programs like "Sheft Al Layl" and "Al Mashhad Al Akhir." Almutairi has also played leading roles in several films and series, including "Kayf Lhal," "Arba'un Yawman wa Laylah," and "Tash Ma Tash." At the fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, his films "Hobal" directed by Abdulaziz Alshlahei and "Holes" directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan are being screened. Meshal has received numerous awards in recognition of his creativity, including the Best Actor award at the Saudi Film Festival in 2021.

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MOON

Director: Kurdwin Ayub

Sarah, a former mixed martial arts champion in Austria, knows she needs to make a new start. While her sister urges her to start a business, she jumps at an unexpected offer to go to Jordan to train three teenage daughters of a dazzlingly rich family living in an isolated, fiercely guarded mansion. Sarah soon sees that the girls don’t want to train, but have little else in their closeted lives: no internet allowed, no friends and only rare outings to the mall, where they are closely watched, for entertainment. The house, moreover, seems to hold its own secrets; why is Sarah forbidden to go upstairs? Director Ayub maintains the tension of a thriller in this story of life in a golden cage.

K-POPS

Director: Anderson .Paak

Eight-time Grammy winner Anderson .Paak makes his film debut with the story of a washed-up drummer whose life turns around when he meets his teenage son for the first time. Paak himself plays the father BJ, who is still holding out in middle age for rock’n’roll stardom; his real-life son Soul Rasheed plays the fictional Tae Young, whose mother Yeji is Korean. When BJ gets an unexpected gig on a Korean talent show, he discovers Tae Young, a hotly-tipped contestant. Eager to make up for lost parenting time, BJ becomes the boy’s mentor – but the truth is that he needs help to grow up himself. Riffing off their real family relationships, .Paak’s comedy is an instant winner full of charm and K-Pop fandom.

MODI - THREE DAYS ON THE WING OF MADNESS

Director: Johnny Depp

Amedeo Modigliani’s life is in a bohemian state of chaos. It is 1916 and Paris is suffering the deprivations of war; with no money, he and his decadent friends drink, take loads of drugs, make art and fail to sell it, then argue with the landladies who want to evict them. Modi, as his artist friends Utrillo and Soutine like to call him, is offered a lifeline by an American collector (a superb cameo from Al Pacino) but, as usual, he sabotages the opportunity. Sadly, his true status as a leading light of modern art would only be recognised after his premature death. Director Johnny Depp clearly revels in his hero’s excesses, invigorating his story with the spirit of punk rock.

BREAD AND SALT

Director: Hussein Fawzi

Bread and salt, a greeting in many languages, signifies friendliness and generosity. In this Egyptian classic, Buthaini meets young commerce graduate Saber when her father dies and she takes refuge in Cairo’s “neighbourhood of bread and salt”. Love blossoms between them but, when Buthaina finds work as a singer with the wealthy Bahjat Bey, she changes almost overnight, abandoning Saber. Hurt and shocked, he attacks her choices with such fury that she flees the neighbourhood, getting another job in a nightclub. It takes many more misunderstandings before love prevails in a satisfyingly happy ending. One of the best-known films by prolific writer and cinematographer Hussein Fawzi.