UNDERGROUND
Genre
Biography, Musical and Documentary
Running time
37 minutes
Year
2023
Language
Arabic and English
Subtitle
English and Arabic
Country
Saudi Arabia
Director
Abdulrahman Sandokji
Bio
Producer
Thamer Farhan, Mohammad Al-Hilaly, Mohammed Al-Turki
Cast
Emad Mujallid, Ahmed Hakeem, Nouf Sufyani, Hamza Hawsawi, Salma Murad, Ahmed Shawly, Fulana , Abdulmalik Zubailah, Faris Al-Subyani, Ayman Al-Ghamdi, Jude Al-Dujani, Khalid Salha
Scriptwriter
Zuhair Moath, Moath Mansour
A heavy-metal drummer, a DJ working with electronic music, a reticent songwriter uploading her Hijazi songs to the internet and finding an audience, an X-factor winning singer: these are just some of the talents emerging in Saudi Arabia’s nascent music industry. Older musos remember being inspired by tapes of the Beatles; one guitarist recalls how hard it was to teach himself how to play guitar without teachers or community support, while practicing in an abandoned house. For all of these engaging artists, music is central to life.
Other movies
PALESTINE 36
Director: Annemarie Jacir
In 1936, as rebellion sweeps across Mandate Palestine, Yusuf, caught between his rural home and the charged atmosphere of Jerusalem, longs for peace. But with Jewish immigrants fleeing European fascism, the region is heading fast toward a major collision. Palestine 36, a historical drama set during this period, explores the Palestinian Arab Revolt against the British colonial rule, focusing on the stories of individuals caught in the conflict as well as the human cost of the uprising. It follows the lives of Palestinian farmers, city dwellers and British officers as they confront the conflict. The film examines the choices and unexpected situations faced by its characters.
NORMAL
Director: Ben Wheatley
Normal's night of reckoning and west-meets-east thrills and blood-spills is dark, absurdly funny and drenched in its own B movie with A movie viewing sensibility. Back in trenchant Free Fire form, Ben Wheatley directs Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, the Nobody movies) from a script by Odenkirk and John Wick creator Derek Kolstad. It's mid-winter, and Odenkirk is Ulysses, a laid-back, somewhat oblivious sheriff on a temporary job in a tiny Minnesota town where all is certainly not what it seems — as heavily signalled by an ultra-violent prologue featuring a yakuza standoff in Osaka. Normal is the name of this burg of 1,890 cheerful inhabitants (including cameos from Henry Winkler and Lena Headey), but the film is decidedly anything but.
HIJRA
Director: Shahad Ameen
A grandmother and her two granddaughters journey from Taif to Mecca. When the eldest granddaughter vanishes, the two remaining women travel north to find her, with their search highlighting the deep cultural and generational bonds between Saudi women. Set against the backdrop of the Hajj pilgrimage, Hijra portrays the intimate and emotional odyssey of these women, which evolves into a spiritual quest. Their journey carries the weight of an entire heritage and offers an emotional, powerful and insightful look at identity. Shot across eight Saudi cities, the film provides a deep dive into the nation’s rich cultural tapestry. Actress Khairia Nazmi infuses the story with profound emotion due to her strength and energy.