university "founder" The Student Film Festival launches next week

King Abdulaziz University is preparing to launch the new version of Student Film Festival 2025, which is organized by the College of Communication and Media during the period from 2 to 4 next December, in an anticipated event that is considered the largest of its kind at the level of Saudi universities, because of the developmental messages it carries, educational and creative ambitions, and the broad horizons it opens for young talents to create an influential presence within the growing cinematic scene in the Kingdom.Direct contact with film makers and experts, which contributes to improving the quality of their work and their ability to compete in the future in the local and international film market.

The College of Communication and Media is working to transform the festival into an integrated professional laboratory that enables university students and students from other universities to engage in the cinematic experience in all its stages. Starting from building the idea and writing the script, through the aspects of photography and directing, all the way to presentation and artistic evaluation. The festival’s organizers confirm that one of its main goals is to develop student talents and enhance the Saudi cultural identity within student cinematic works, through stories that belong to the local environment and reflect the spirit of the person and the place. The festival also focuses on creating an interactive knowledge environment among students, producers, and academics, in line with the directions of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which made the creative industries a pivotal tributary in building the cultural economy. .

The festival offers a program full of events, starting with screenings of participating films in multiple tracks, including feature films, documentaries, animation films, and artificial intelligence films, in addition to an interactive exhibition "From imagination to screen" which reviews, across nine stations, the stages of film making, from writing the script and determining the plot, through visual composition, effects, sound, and modern technologies, all the way to the virtual studio. The festival also hosts the Student Production Market, which brings together student works from several Saudi universities, in a space aimed at exchanging experiences and building new cooperation networks..

The events include rich critical and dialogue sessions with the participation of actors, directors, novelists, and experts in cinematic production and techniques, covering topics such as "Backstage pulse", "Graduates trip"and"Production market economy"In addition to advanced training workshops presented by local and international specialists covering the fields of directing, scripting, photography, lighting, and modern production techniques, including artificial intelligence workshops in the visual industry, and other programs and events.

The festival is replete with the presence of an elite group of experts who form the jury, which includes the heads of Arab festivals, filmmakers, writers, visual effects experts, and academics from local and international bodies, in a step that would provide a professional evaluation of the participating works, Informing students about industry standards in various international film schools. It is expected that this diversity will contribute to enriching students’ critical experience and raising the level of cinematic production within academic circles.

The festival’s activities will be held in the King Faisal Conference Hall at King Abdulaziz University, amidst an academic and cultural presence, and it is expected to witness a wide turnout from university students, film professionals, and those interested in the industry, as it provides practical experiences and multiple vision paths that blend theoretical knowledge and professional application. The festival concludes by honoring the winning works in various tracks, and highlighting the distinguished student experiences that represent a qualitative addition to the emerging Saudi cinema scene..