Saudi Film Festival opens with glamor and gratitude on the red carpet

The 9th edition of the Saudi Film Festival kicked off on May 5 by welcoming an international community of media connoisseurs who strut the red carpet among arrival. (Essa Aldobaisi)

Saudi actress Reem Alhabib told Arab News that as a young girl she could not have imagined this to be her reality. (Essa Aldobaisi)

The winners of this year’s festival’s awards — valued at more than SR1.5 million ($400,000) — will be announced on May 11.

• Saudi actress Reem Al-Habib told Arab News that, as a young girl, she could never have imagined her life as it is now
• Director Salma Murad, whose movie “Kabreet” is screening at the festival, expressed her excitement too

DHAHRAN: The ninth Saudi Film Festival kicked off at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran on Friday with local and international film and media professionals walking the red carpet.
Many of them expressed their excitement about the industry’s future in the Kingdom.
Saudi actress Reem Al-Habib told Arab News that, as a young girl, she could never have imagined her life as it is now. “Back in the day, I would never have thought that this would happen, but (Crown Prince) Mohammed bin Salman made me live this moment. I have goosebumps,” she said. “Now I can stand in my country and say I’m a Saudi actress and proceed from there. The world will look at us and take us as role models.”
Director Salma Murad, whose movie “Kabreet” is screening at the festival, expressed her excitement too. “The fact that the movie is real, and Saudi, and the fact that I am with my Saudi brothers and sisters, makes me very proud and happy,” Murad said. “I think this festival in particular promotes all filmmakers very positively, and thank God I’m part of this experience. My advice to the young ones is to keep at it. No matter how difficult it gets, just keep doing it.”
After the red carpet, participants headed to Ithra’s Cinema Hall where Saudi producer Salah Al-Fawzan — founder of Shamel Productions and producer of 34 feature films since the mid-Eighties — and Bahraini screenwriter Amin Saleh were being honored by the festival for their significant impact in the film industry, which has, according to the organizers, paved the way for cinema professionals today.
The winners of this year’s festival’s awards — valued at more than SR1.5 million ($400,000) — will be announced on May 11.