Four Arabic originals coming to Netflix, from Saudi Pro League documentary to Sand Castle

Plus, a biopic about two cousins who became the first women to work at the Kuwaiti Stock Exchange

Nadine Labaki stars in the thriller The Sand Castle, due to be released in January. Photo: Netflix

Netflix continues to ramp up its Arabic originals, with a string of productions due to be released in the next few months.

From a thriller reuniting Nadine Labaki with her Capernaum star Zain Al Rafeea to a documentary series that pulls the curtain back on the Saudi Pro League, here are four to add to your Netflix watchlist.

Saudi Pro League: Kickoff

Within a few short years, the Saudi Pro League has gone from a relative unknown to becoming a staple of international sports headlines. Star players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema have signed for clubs in the league. Curiosity has piqued as to the league’s ambitions, and yet it wasn’t always clear what was going on behind the scenes.

The documentary series Saudi Pro League: Kickoff will offer unprecedented access, both on and off the pitch. The series will chart the growth of the league, showing how the arrival of international football stars impacted the sport in the kingdom.

According to Netflix, it will be replete with “drama, passion and action”. The series will have appearances by the international players in the league, as well as local stars Salem Al Dawsari, Feras Al Buraikan, Talal Haji, and Abdulrahman Ghareeb. It will also feature interviews with managers and commentators.

Saudi Pro League: Kickoff will be released on November 21

Echoes of the Past

Set in Egypt, Echoes of the Past is a drama series steeped in suspense and duplicity. Asser Yassin stars as Yehia, a man who sets out to uncover the murder of his sister, played by Huda El Mufti. The show will unravel the dark secrets of the family as everyone soon becomes a suspect and betrayals are gradually revealed.

“Who can be trusted?” Netflix’s description teases. “The series will keep everyone guessing until the very end.”

Echoes of the Past will be released on December 6

The Sand Castle

In The Sand Castle, a family become stranded on an idyllic but eerie island. As the dark reality about the island emerges, the family try to keep these shocking secrets from their youngest member, Jana.

“As events spiral out of control and the line between reality and fiction blurs, the family is forced to confront harsh truths and difficult choices, testing their resilience and their hopes of making it back home,” the thriller’s synopsis reads.

The Sand Castle is directed by Matty Brown and is the US filmmaker’s debut feature. It features a stellar Arab cast, including Labaki and Ziad Bakri in the role of the parents. Capernaum stars Zain and Riman Al Rafeea will be playing the role of the children.

The Sand Castle will be released on January 24

The Exchange

The Exchange will return for its second season next year. The show was critically acclaimed for its depiction of the stock market in 1980s Kuwait, drawing inspiration from the true story of two women who proved themselves in the cut-throat business.

The second season will continue the story of Farida who, after divorcing her husband and seeking to provide for her daughter, joins her cousin Munira as the first women working at the Kuwaiti Stock Exchange. There, they face several challenges as they break the glass ceiling of the male-dominated financial market.

The series stars Rawan Mahdi and Mona Hussain, as well as Hussain Almahdi, Mohammed Al Mansour and Faisal Alamiri.

The Exchange is due to be released next year