The five new Arab films screening Red Sea International Film Festival

The movies are part of a programme named Arab Spectacular

Lail Nahar, directed by Abdulaziz Almuzaini, will premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival. Photo: Handout

The Red Sea International Film Festival, has announced a line up of five Arab films that will screen as part of its Arab Spectacular programme. The fourth edition of the festival will run from December 5 to 14 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Antoine Khalife, Director of Arab Programs & Film Classics for the festival, said of the selection: “We know that our stories and the quality of the way we tell them deserve a place alongside other international films, which is why we are working hard to support and nurture our region’s filmmakers, providing them with a prestigious platform to present their work to international audiences, and facilitating networking opportunities with industry leaders.”

Here are the five Arab films that will screen at the festival.

Abdo and Saneya (Egypt)

Directed by Omar Bakry, Abdo and Saneya is a silent movie filmed in black and white. The story follows an Egyptian couple as they make their journey from rural Egypt to New York City. Their journey is spurred on by their need to find a cure for their infertility.

The film stars Bakry as Abdo and Inji El-Gammal as Saneya. Other members of the cast include Haythem Noor, Kathleen Regan, Clara Francesca and Katharine McLeod. The film tracks the couple’s journey as they defy the odds, including illiteracy and having no grasp of the English language, to get to their destination and find help for their issue.

Front Row (Algeria)

Algerian director Merzak Allouache has had a storied career with films like 1976’s Omar Gatlato, 1979’s Mughamarat batal and 1994’s Bab El Oued City. His latest film, Front Row, tells the story of two mothers who get into a feud while their families are vacationing at the beach.

The film stars a cast of Algerian actors, including Nabil Asli, Fatiha Ouared, Idir Benaibouche and Hichem Benmesbah. Front Row is a comedy of errors that pits two matriarchs against each other while their families look on in support and bemusement.

Allouche is considered one of Algeria’s most influential filmmakers, with his films having garnered positive attention on the international festival circuit and with the Algerian public. His 1996 film Salut Cousin!, a comedy starring Gad Elmaleh and Messaoud Hattau, was the country’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 69th Academy Awards.

Hobal (Saudi Arabia)

Set in the early 1990s, Abdulaziz Alshlahei’s Hobal tells the story of a Saudi family that is told to remain in one place in the desert by their grandfather. This quickly proves impossible, as mysterious events occur that put the family in danger.

The film stars Saudi actors Mila Al Zahrani, Fayez Bin Jurays, Hamdy Alfridi and Ibrahim Al-Hasawi. Director Alshlahei has previously worked in television before directing his first feature film Zero Distance in 2020 following it up with The Tambour of Retribution in the same year.

Lail Nahar (Saudi Arabia)

Directed by Abdulaziz Almuzaini, Lail Nahar is a satirical comedy which follows two musicians who experience different levels of fame. The film particularly focuses on the Saudi entertainment industry and lampoons its absurdities in a humorous way.

The film’s Saudi cast includes Ziyad Alamri, Abrar Faisal, Abdullah Alsadhan, Nawaf Alsulaiman and Ali Ibrahim. The film’s script is written by Almuzaini alongside Ahmed Nada and Adwa Bader who recently starred in Meshal Al Jaser’s Naga.

My Driver & I (Saudi Arabia)

This coming-of-age film tells the story of the relationship between a young Saudi girl and her Sudanese driver over the period of ten years as he drives her to school every day until she graduates from high school.

The film is directed by Ahd who has previously directed short films but has also acted in films such as Tobe Hooper’s Djinn, Saudi film Wadjda and the successful comedy series Ramy.