Director Yasir Al-Yasiri talks ‘surreal’ opportunity to open Red Sea International Film Festival with ‘HWJN’
Fantasy film based on hit novel ‘about the journey of discovery,’ director says
Baraa Alem stars as kindhearted jinn who falls for mortal woman
Updated 02 December 2023
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri said he was delighted that his new film, “HWJN,” had been chosen to open this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah.
Speaking to Arab News before the big night on Thursday, the Dubai-based filmmaker said: “I feel really surreal. Getting to open the festival in Jeddah about a story set in Jeddah itself is pretty fantastic.”
The fantasy film is based on the hit young adult novel of the same name by Saudi Ibraheem Abbas, which was praised for combining Western sci-fi and fantasy tropes with Arab culture and folklore.
Al-Yasiri said he was drawn to the challenge of making a fantasy film in Saudi Arabia as the genre was still new in Arab cinema.
A poster for opening film 'HWJN.' (Supplied)
“And to actually have Image Nation Abu Dhabi, MBC and Vox excited to bring this to life was very fortunate. For me, it was an ideal opportunity to bring such a story to life.”
Set in modern-day Jeddah, “HWJN” follows the story of Hwjn, a kindhearted jinn (genie), played by Baraa Alem, as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage and falls in love with Sawsan, a mortal woman played by Nour Al-Khadra.
“‘Hwjn’ is a story about the jinn world. Of course, jinn is deep-rooted in our culture and religion and it’s a familiar subject to our audience. Yet, there is no visual representation of jinns. So, I wanted to make a movie about them and at the same time make it relatable to the audience, so they feel what they have in their minds — as a legacy and from a cultural standpoint — can be relatable visually,” Al-Yasiri said.
“The story is about the journey of discovery that one of the jinns takes and a forbidden relationship that he has with someone from the other realm, which is the human realm.”
Al-Yasiri, whose previous films include “Murk Light” and “On Borrowed Time,” spent five years making “HWJN” and said its cast were as obsessed with the novel as its many fans.
“When it comes to casting, I always follow my instant gut feeling,” he said. “Most of my previous films, I cast my actors upon first viewing, like I get butterflies when I see their performance. And when I see that both performance and looks really match with what I have in mind for the character, it clicks.
“Noura Al-Kadra really was one of those actors who really clicked right away as soon as I saw her audition tape. And I said, ‘That’s it, this is Sawsan.’ And it was the same with the others, like Baraa and Naif (Al-Daferi),” he said.
“Their hunger and appetite to the story itself and how aware they were to the success of the novel I think added an additional layer to how excited they were about it and that was really showing in their auditions.”
The Red Sea International Film Festival runs from Thursday to Dec. 9.
DOHA: A three-month art and architecture exhibition in Doha featuring the works of renowned Pakistanis from the 1940s to the present highlights the South Asian country’s diverse art scene and brings the evolution of art and architecture in the region to a global audience.
Titled “Manzar,” which can be translated from Urdu to mean scene, view, landscape or perspective, the exhibition includes more than 200 paintings, drawings, photographs, videos, sculptures, installations, tapestries and miniatures from celebrated Pakistani artists. It has been organized by an Art Mill Museum team and will run at the National Museum of Qatar until Jan. 31, 2025.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and his sister, Sheikha Al Mayassa Al-Thani, inaugurated the exhibition in Doha last week.
“Pakistan’s art scene is less well known in the world compared to other art scenes and for us art historians it is absolutely fascinating to be able to share it with the world,” Caroline Hancock, senior curator of modern and contemporary art at the Art Mill Museum, told Arab News.
“We wanted to recount an expansive notion of this place, not limited by drawn and imposed borders, but true to the porosity and transnational interconnections of cultural expressions (in Pakistan).”
‘Flowers: Gardens of Paradise’ (2021) by Hamra Abbas at the ‘Manzar’ exhibition at Qatar Museums in Doha, Qatar. (Courtesy of Kuzey Kaya Buzlu)
Zarmeene Shah, director of graduate studies at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in Karachi, the co-curator for Manzar, described the exhibition as “exceptionally significant.”
“Because we never see such a body of noteworthy work come together in a single space, as most of these artworks live in private collections, inaccessible to the public, which is why Manzar offers an incomparable opportunity for audiences to engage with these masterpieces, and to explore how art and architecture have responded to, and reshaped, the nation’s social and political narratives,” Shah told Arab News.
“Our aim is to start a conversation and not provide a definitive showcase.”
The exhibition, designed by eminent Pakistani architect Raza Ali Dada, integrates architecture and art to chart the thought processes, resistance struggles and achievements of the artistic and architectural community of the South Asian country.
The exhibition runs thematically and opens with works by pioneering artists such as Abdur Rahman Chughtai and Zainul Abedin, who produced stellar works of art during British colonial rule from 1858-1947 and continued after Pakistan was born as a separate nation out of united India.
A video installation titled ‘Disruption as Rapture’ by Shahzia Sikander (2016), displayed at the ‘Manzar’ exhibition at the National Museum of Qatar in Doha. (Kuzey Kaya Buzlu)
Indeed, the partition of 1947 is a significant theme for many Pakistani artists at the exhibition, including Anna Molka Ahmed, Zarina and Bani Abidi. The exhibition also features the aesthetic experiments of artists such as Shakir Ali, Zubeida Agha, Murtaja Baseer and Sadequain, whose deeply personal modes of expression are rooted in the vibrant urban centers of Karachi, Lahore, Dhaka, and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which embody diverse artistic responses to historical and cultural shifts in the region.
Zahoor Ul-Akhlaq, Imran Mir and Rasheed Araeen — known for their multidisciplinary approaches, involvement in educational initiatives, and theoretical writings challenging Western art history and traditions at home and internationally — are also featured, as are influential figures of different generations such as Salima Hashmi, Quddus Mirza, Lala Rukh, Aisha Khalid and Durriya Kazi.
Important diaspora artists whose work is part of the exhibition include Naiza Khan in London, Ruby Chishti, Huma Bhabha, Iftikhar and Elizabeth Dadi and Salman Toor in New York, Bani Abidi in Berlin, Basir Mahmood in Amsterdam, Seher Shah in Barcelona and Khadim Ali in Sydney.
The exhibition also sheds light on contributions by foreign architects who reshaped Pakistan’s landscape and articulated the ambitions of its institutions through landmark projects. These include French artist Michel Ecochard, who designed the first university in the southern city of Karachi, and Greek artist Konstantínos Doxiadis, the lead architect who planned Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
Manzar also explores Pakistan’s engagement with the debate on regionalism in architecture through the works of influential architects such as Nayyar Ali Dada and Kamil Khan Mumtaz from Lahore, alongside Yasmeen Lari, Habib Fida Ali, and Arif Hasan from Karachi.
The exhibition extends to the courtyard of the Palace of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani with a range of outdoor and indoor installations, as well as a film and video program. Renowned architect Yasmeen Lari, who works in the intersection of architecture and social justice, has exhibited bamboo shelters designed as emergency open-source housing for flood victims, in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan.
Additionally, the art collective Karachi LaJamia is exhibiting a project addressing the environmental crisis in the province of Sindh. Many of these contemporary projects emphasize the themes of sustainability and ecology, reflecting a growing urgency to address environmental issues through art and architecture.
“Manzar is an exhibition that truly reflects how everyone from the discourse of art and architecture seem in constant conversation, in dialogue about the environment, either the political environment or the ecological environment,” Karachi-based architect Marvi Mazhar said during a panel discussion, saying Manzar had brought into the spotlight the political and ecological changes the region has undergone through the decades.
“We have always faced heartbreaks, be it the partition, or the formation of East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh) or other movements such as the politics of land and water. Yet historically we collectively ride the tide, through forging diverse practices and sensitivity to their connection to the wider history of modern and contemporary art.”
Egypt’s Logina Salah makes history at Miss Universe
Updated 17 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Miss Universe Egypt Logina Salah made history when she broke into the top 30 at the grand finale of the Miss Universe 2024 beauty pageant, held in Mexico City on Sunday, making it the first time her country has made a placement in 73 years.
The glittering night came to a close with Miss Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig taking home the crown — a first for a Dane. The 21-year-old, a competitive dancer, entrepreneur, and aspiring lawyer, beat more than 120 other contestants to win the annual beauty pageant.
Miss Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina was named first runner-up, and Miss Mexico Maria Fernanda Beltran was named the second runner-up. Contestants from Thailand, Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Russia, Chile, Canada and Peru also made it to the top 12.
This year’s finale featured a performance by singer Robin Thicke and was hosted by “Saved by the Bell” star Mario Lopez and former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo.
Other contestants from the Middle East and North Africa region included the UAE’s Emilia Dobreva, Bahrain’s Shereen Ahmed, Lebanon’s Nada Koussa, and Iran’s Ava Vahneshan.
The pageant, in its 73rd year, also now sees married women and mothers compete.
“I feel like the world is getting closer to including everybody. It wasn’t allowed for moms to participate, or any woman above 30, and I didn’t like participating in ‘moms pageantry’; I do not like labeling,” Salah, who is based in Dubai, said in an earlier interview with Arab News of the rules that changed in 2023.
She added: “When those restrictions were lifted, I saw it as the perfect opportunity. Pageantry was always on my mind, but I always said, ‘Let me keep it for my daughter, maybe she would be interested.’ I used to dream about it, but now the dream came back to life. I applied, and, thank God, I made it to Miss Universe!”
Reflecting on her journey with vitiligo, Salah highlighted the power of living as an example. “I do not come every day and talk about vitiligo on my platform, but living my life fearlessly and unapologetically is a message to people,” she said.
“When someone comes across my profile and they see me living fearlessly, this is an inspiration. So, I do both. I like to go out and inspire, not only for people with vitiligo, but for all young girls and women.”
ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Denmark in Pakistan’s capital this week organized a powerful art exhibition that called for urgent environmental action to battle climate challenges, with the European country’s ambassador pledging support for Islamabad in transitioning to renewable energy.
Pakistan is one of the world’s worst affected countries due to the impacts of climate change, despite contributing less than one percent of planet-warming emissions. Unusually heavy rains in June 2022 killed over 1,700 people, destroyed critical infrastructure in the country and affected over 33 million people which scientists attributed to climate change.
“Haryali,” which translates to greenery in Urdu, was the name chosen for the exhibition which took place at the Danish ambassador’s residence in Islamabad on Friday night. The exhibition was held to mark 75 years of Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with Denmark at a time when various world leaders have gathered in Baku to attend the COP29 climate conference.
The exhibition featured artworks by 36 Pakistani artists, who highlighted the disastrous effects of climate change and global warming through sculptures and paintings.
“Pakistan is one of the countries in the world suffering the most from climate change and action needs to be taken,” Danish Ambassador Jakob Linulf told Arab News on Friday.
Visitors tour the art exhibition “Haryali” featuring artwork against global warming, organized by the Denmark Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan on November 15, 2024. (AN Photo)
“And this is not something that Pakistan can do by themselves, and from the Danish side we are ready to help with all the expertise that we have gained through our battle also to make a greener society.”
Linulf said Denmark uses solar, wind, water and biomass to generate electricity, adding that Pakistan has an abundance of all of these resources.
“I would love to see Pakistan transforming its energy sector into a more sustainable energy sector,” he said.
Iman Bilal, a Pakistani sculptor, highlighted the health dangers associated with microplastics.
“We’re deteriorating our health, it’s internalized,” she said, stressing the role of art in motivating stakeholders to take action to avoid environmental degradation.
An art piece crafted from plastic waste is showcased at the "Haryali Art Exhibition" by the Embassy of Denmark in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 15, 2024. (AN Photo)
Kareem Ahmed Khan, an artist from the scenic Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan severely impacted by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), reflected on climate change’s devastating impact on his region.
“For the past seven to eight years, I’ve been working to highlight the impact of climate change on my region,” Khan told Arab News.
Visitors view artwork displayed at “Haryali Art Exhibition” by the Embassy of Denmark in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 15, 2024. (AN Photo)
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who spoke at a number of events at COP29 earlier this week, used the forum to highlight the need to restore confidence in the pledging process and increase climate finance for vulnerable, developing countries.
Sofia Boutella promotes BBC drama ‘SAS Rogue Heroes’
Updated 16 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: French Algerian actress Sofia Boutella took to social media to promote her latest project, season two of the BBC’s “SAS Rogue Heroes.”
The trailer for season two was released by the BBC this week, and Boutella took to Instagram to re-post a clip of the military drama that follows the exploits of the special forces unit of the British Army.
Created by Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”), series two rejoins British troops in spring 1943 during World War II.
Returning for series two are actors Jack O’Connell, Connor Swindells, Dominic West and Boutella, who plays French intelligence agent Eve Mansour.
Commissioned by the BBC, the show is based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book of the same name, with season two having been directed by Stephen Woolfenden.
Boutella most recently starred “The Killer’s Game,” which hit cinemas in September, and Netflix’s “Rebel Moon — Part 2: The Scargiver.”
In the sci-fi adventure — a sequel to last year’s “Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire” — a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force.
Kora, played by Boutella, has assembled a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds.
Boutella drew on her history as an immigrant. She grew up in Algeria during its civil war and later moved to France and found herself navigating the complexities of adapting to a different culture.
“Having left Algeria young, when I go back there I don’t feel like I belong to Algeria. And then, in France, I don’t feel like I belong to France because I didn’t grow up there,” she told Arab News in a previous interview.
Boutella has learned to embrace her rootlessness, though. “I feel like I belong to this planet. I have the freedom to travel wherever I want, without any limitation,” she said. “But sometimes, I miss the proximity and attachment that people have to their country.”
Kora was not Algiers-born Boutella’s first role as a sword-wielding extraterrestrial. The actress, who at the age of 10 fled to Paris with her family during the Algerian civil war, is known for her breakout performance in the Oscar-nominated film, “Star Trek Beyond,” in which she portrayed the fierce alien warrior, Jaylah.
Miss Universe Bahrain Shereen Ahmed wins Voice for Change Silver award in Mexico
Updated 16 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Miss Universe Bahrain Shereen Ahmed was announced on Thursday as one of the seven Silver winners of the Voice for Change competition at the 73rd Miss Universe beauty pageant in Mexico.
“This is for all the hardworking single moms out there,” she wrote to her followers on Instagram after the announcement was made.
Joining Ahmed as Silver winners of the Voice for Change competition were Anouk Eman of Aruba, Saran Bah of Guinea, Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand, Matilda Wirtavuori of Finland, Snit Tewoldemedhin of Eritrea, and Raegan Rutty of the Cayman Islands.
The award was presented after the preliminary round, which featured 126 contestants from around the world showcasing swimsuits, evening gowns, and national costumes.
The Gold winners of the competition were Juliana Barrientos of Bolivia, Ana Gabriela Villanueva of Guatemala, and Davin Prasath of Cambodia.
Besides Ahmed, there are two other Arabs representing their countries: Logina Salah from Egypt and Nada Koussa from Lebanon. Miss Universe UAE is Emilia Dobreva, a Kosovo-born model who has lived in Dubai for 10 years.
For the National Costume competition, Ahmed donned a flowing green gown featuring gold embellishments and a structured shoulder cape. She also wore a gold headpiece and held a large gold incense burner prop.
Salah opted for a Cleopatra-inspired ensemble in shades of blue, gold, and bronze, designed by Simeon Cayetano. The cape featured hand-painted pyramids and the Sphinx, framed by protective wings. Hieroglyphic scripts adorned the lower portion of the cape.
Koussa wore a rich purple ensemble with intricate silver embroidery. The outfit included a tall, cylindrical, metallic headpiece and a full-length cape with pronounced shoulders, adorned with leaf-like motifs that extended down the back. The dress underneath was composed of a lighter, shimmery fabric.
