Next April…the Saudi Film Festival celebrates… "Journey cinema"
Declare Saudi Film Festival, organized by the Cinema Society in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra, with the support of the Film Commission, is scheduled to hold its twelfth session during the period from April 23 to 29, 2026, at the center’s headquarters (Ithra) in the city of Dhahran.
The festival’s next session will focus on… "Journey cinema"by displaying a group of short and long Arab and international films that deal with the journey, including road films as a key element in the cinematic narrative.
The selection of this theme comes in its twelfth session to highlight the unique journey that every cinematic experience takes, and to encourage Saudi filmmakers to address this topic in their different ways, starting from their individual journey.
This theme also allows cinema to be read as a continuous act of transition, in which identity, place and time intersect to embody the human experience.
Highlights on Korean cinema
and in continuation of the role of The Festival In building bridges of cultural dialogue, and showcasing international cinematic experiences after successful stations with Indian and Japanese cinema, the festival chooses a program "Spotlight on Korean cinema" In its next session, it will be an example of an experience that was able to build a solid local identity with an influential global presence.
Opening the festival to all creative people
Ahmed Al-Mulla, founder and director of the Saudi Film Festival, said: "We await the filmmakers with enthusiasm, and our preparations have been completed for our annual film festival that brings together cinema lovers under one roof. We open the doors of the festival to all creative people, stressing that the filmmakers are our permanent stars and the focus of this event. We meet in a vibrant atmosphere of cinema, full of inspiration, exchange of ideas, science and knowledge, in an experience in which we celebrate cinematic creations and share them with everyone.
Tariq Al-Khawaji, Deputy Director of the Saudi Film Festival, said: At Ithra, we are proud of our extended partnership with the Cinema Society, which has been reflected in the development of the festival and the diversity of its topics year after year, which has clearly emerged in empowering filmmakers and opening windows to global experiences.
He stressed that the festival is moving in steady growth at all levels, whether in preparations, participation, or expectations, by those working in the local and Arab film industry, which makes paying attention to every detail related to the festival a vital and important matter.
Saudi Film Festival.. Evolution Ongoing
Since its inception in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has continued its role as a vital tributary and genuine engine for the journey of Saudi and Gulf cinema, and a sustainable space for incubating talent. In its integrated environment, it combines cinematic competitions for feature and documentary films, knowledge programs, and the production market, which contributes to the development of creative tools and linking their products to the international cinematic scene.
The festival is a cinematic cultural event through which it presents many cultural programs in the cinematic sector through film screenings, training workshops, cultural seminars, advanced lessons, the production market, and the project competition.
Since its launch in 2008, the Saudi Film Festival has witnessed continuous development over the course of 18 years. Year, it presented 11 distinguished courses, in which hundreds of Saudi filmmakers and screenwriters participated.
During that period, the festival hosted many international filmmakers and experts, which contributed to building bridges to transfer knowledge and experiences to filmmakers in the Kingdom through training workshops, cultural seminars, and knowledge books that were present in all sessions of the festival.
This cinematic cultural movement aims to develop creative human wealth by nurturing and encouraging talent in filmmaking. The festival is committed to achieving these goals, organized by the Khobar Cinema Association.
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