Still to screen: Movies you can catch this weekend at RSIFF

Still to screen: Movies you can catch this weekend at RSIFF
Saudi writer-director Almuzaini is best known as the co-creator of the wildly popular animated series “Masameer.” (Supplied)
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Still to screen: Movies you can catch this weekend at RSIFF

Still to screen: Movies you can catch this weekend at RSIFF
  • With just two days to go, here are a handful of the films coming up at the festival

‘Holes’ 

Director: Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan 

Starring: Mariam Abdulrahman, Meshal Almutairi 

Saudi writer-director Aldhabaan’s latest feature has echoes of his last, “The Matchmaker,” in that “Holes” is also a psychological thriller. It centers on Rakan and his wife Rim, desperate to find their own place so that they no longer have to live with Rakan’s mother. The only issue with their new home is the hole that someone appears to have hammered through one of its walls. After moving in, Rakan becomes increasingly distant from his wife. Through flashbacks, we begin to learn why his mood has changed, and when his mother is attacked by burglars breaking into her house, Rakan is confronted by an unwelcome reminder of his past.  

‘Better Man’ 

Director: Michael Gracey 

Starring: Robbie Williams, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman 

It’s the story of UK pop superstar Robbie Williams, but “Better Man” is not your average musical biopic. While the rest of the cast consists of actors (including some of England’s finest), Williams is played by a CGI chimpanzee (voiced by the man himself), because of Williams’ feeling of being a “performing monkey” for most of his career. The result is actually genuinely moving as we follow Williams’ meteoric rise as a member of boy band Take That through his record-breaking solo career to his struggles with fame, addiction and depression — arguably far more moving because of the choice to not have Williams, or, indeed, any other actor, play the lead. An astonishing technical achievement. 

‘Lail Nahar’ 

Director: Abdulaziz Almuzaini  

Starring: Abdullah Al-Sadhan, Zyad Alamri, Nawaf Alsulaiman 

Saudi writer-director Almuzaini is best known as the co-creator of the wildly popular animated series “Masameer.” With “Lail Nahar” he turns his satirical lens on the Saudi entertainment industry. Popular singer Nahar is accused of racism in a video that goes viral. To counter the accusations, he announces — live — his upcoming marriage to a black woman. There’s just one snag: he doesn’t yet have a fiancée. However, he comes to an arrangement with a wedding singer, and the pair find that their fake romance unexpectedly blossoms into an emotional journey.   

‘My Driver and I’ 

Director: Ahd Kamel 

Starring: Roula Dakheelallah, Mishaal Tamer, Mustafa Shehata 

Saudi actress, writer, director and producer Kamel mines her own childhood in this coming-of-age story set in Jeddah in the Eighties and Nineties. It centers on the relationship between a rebellious girl, Salma, and her family’s chauffeur, a Sudanese man named Gamar, who quickly becomes her confidant and something of a father figure in lieu of her real dad, an always-on-the-go businessman. But as Salma grows up, their relationship becomes strained as Gamar tries to rein in her defiance, believing that he is protecting her reputation.  

‘Night of the Zoopocalypse’ 

Directors: Ricardo Curtis, Rodrigo Perez-Castro 

Voice cast: Gabbi Kosmidis, David Harbour, Scott Thompson 

Animated comedy-horror inspired by a short story by English horror writer Clive Barker. A meteorite crashes into Colepepper Zoo, releasing a virus that turns the majority of the animals there into zombies. The handful of survivors, led by a young wolf named Gracie and the gruff old mountain lion Dan, team up to find a cure and defeat the mutant Bunny King. Family-friendly fun.  

‘Yalla Parkour’ 

Director: Areeb Zuaiter 

Starring: Areeb Zuaiter, Ahmad Matar 

Palestine-born filmmaker Zuaiter’s debut feature documentary picked up the International Prize at DOC NYC. It was reportedly 10 years in the making and was completed before the events of Oct. 7, 2023 (although the ongoing destruction of Gaza is noted in the prologue). The film was inspired by internet footage the Washington-based Zuaiter discovered in 2013 of a group of young men performing parkour in Khan Yunis, in south Gaza. At the time, Zuaiter was searching for connection to her homeland, having lost her Palestinian mother. Via social media, she gets in touch with one of the athletes, Ahmad Matar, and they begin to talk about life in Gaza — where Zuaiter is unable to visit. But with Matar as her guide, she begins to rediscover childhood memories, and to see parkour as a form of hope and freedom in the face of oppression.  

‘A Sudden Case of Christmas’ 

Director: Peter Chelsom 

Starring: Danny DeVito, Andie MacDowell, Wilmer Valderrama 

This seasonal film is a family affair on several levels, not least because comedy legend Danny DeVito stars alongside his daughter Lucy. It’s the story of an American couple on the verge of separating. To break the news to their 10-year-old daughter Claire, they take a trip to her grandfather’s hotel in Italy. Hoping that she can hatch a plan to keep her parents together, Claire asks the whole family to celebrate a final Christmas together. In August.   


REVIEW: Keira Knightley fronts wonderfully over-the-top spy drama ‘Black Doves’

REVIEW: Keira Knightley fronts wonderfully over-the-top spy drama ‘Black Doves’
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REVIEW: Keira Knightley fronts wonderfully over-the-top spy drama ‘Black Doves’

REVIEW: Keira Knightley fronts wonderfully over-the-top spy drama ‘Black Doves’
  • Knightley and Ben Whishaw dazzle in new Netflix show

LONDON: It’s not uncommon to see Keira Knightley on TV around the festive period — usually in reruns of “Love Actually” or the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. But “Black Doves” – a new six-part Netflix series from writer/creator Joe Barton – sees Knightley in an altogether different Christmas setting.  

On the streets of festive London, Knightley’s Helen is swept up in a world of snipers and espionage after the death of a civil servant forces her everyday life as a devoted wife and mother to overlap with her secret career as a Black Dove — a spy who has been passing secrets from her politician husband to a shadowy organization run by spymaster Reed (Sarah Lancashire, devouring every single scene she’s in). With Helen now a target, her friend and master assassin Sam (Ben Whishaw) sweeps in to help her get to the bottom of the threat. 

What follows is a fast-paced caper that’s equal parts whodunnit, violent gangster flick and British character drama. Knightley’s Helen is all polished calm with simmering rage, Whishaw’s Sam is an amiable, charming man with a terrifying aptitude for violence. Together, the two form one of the most dynamic on-screen partnerships of recent years. Each part of their history — some hinted at, some told via flashbacks — feels captivatingly real and relatable, despite the fact that both have more spy skills than Bond and Bourne combined. 

At times, it’s super-tropey — characters write important names and events on notepads, or whispered flashbacks are used to remind us that what’s happening is Very Important Because of That Thing That Guy Said Last Episode. But where such heavy-handedness is usually an irritation, “Black Doves” leans into its pulpy tendencies, and is actually all the better for it. Because it’s that combination of highly implausible spy thriller and decidedly British sensibilities that makes this show fizz. It’s great to see Helen battle a knife-wielding assassin in her kitchen, or to see Sam decimate attackers in his pajamas (it remains, though, very disconcerting to hear the voice of Paddington Bear discussing a shootout), but it’s also great to hear them bicker about their personal lives in between set pieces.  

“Black Doves” is a wonderful, festive surprise — a show that’s as good as the sum of its impressive parts, and then some. 


Review: First-time director Anderson .Paak brings humor and magic to RSIFF title ‘K-Pops’

Review: First-time director Anderson .Paak brings humor and magic to RSIFF title ‘K-Pops’
Updated 12 December 2024
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Review: First-time director Anderson .Paak brings humor and magic to RSIFF title ‘K-Pops’

Review: First-time director Anderson .Paak brings humor and magic to RSIFF title ‘K-Pops’

JEDDAH: Cinema can go overboard with emotional relationships, and this is where American singer and rapper Anderson .Paak’s Red Sea International Film Festival title “K-Pops” hits the right notes without sinking into a morose medley. Entertaining, with music that keeps the audience engaged, the film follows BJ, a washed-up drummer whose life turns around when he meets his teenage son for the first time.

.Paak himself plays the father, who is still holding out in middle age for rock’n’roll stardom while his real-life son Soul Rasheed plays the fictional Tae Young, whose mother Yeji is Korean.

The film was partially shot in Saudi Arabia's AlUla. (Supplied)

BJ gets an unexpected gig on a Korean talent show and discovers that Tae Young is a hotly-tipped contestant.

The movie travels beyond the Korean cultural scene by exploring the love life of its protagonist, who on a trip to Korea meets his old lover, Yeji (Jee Young Han), and learns that he has had a son by her. The two make up for lost time, and the scenes between them are handled subtly by .Paak – laudable for a debutant director who is also a multi-Grammy winner.  Eager to make up for lost parenting time, BJ becomes the boy’s mentor but as the film goes on, we realize the father needs to grow up alongside his son.

Partly shot in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla as part of a multi-film deal between Film AlUla and global media company Stampede Ventures, the work turns out to be endearingly personal and the ties between father and son are magical. Touchingly tender, it is an easy watch, in part because of the strong chemistry between all three lead stars. What is more, interracial complexities are woven into the plot, although I did feel that these could have been explored a little more — a somewhat understated screenplay could have been reason and more layered storytelling would have been welcome. However, the film's comedic touches make up for this and .Paak is mesmeric, especially when he gets the audience to laugh the loudest. Leisurely executed, the movie flows along like a lazy river that is a joy to ride.


Review: RSIFF title ‘Black Dog’ is an art house draw

Review: RSIFF title ‘Black Dog’ is an art house draw
Updated 12 December 2024
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Review: RSIFF title ‘Black Dog’ is an art house draw

Review: RSIFF title ‘Black Dog’ is an art house draw

JEDDAH: The winner of the Un Certain Regard prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Chinese drama “Black Dog” travelled to the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah and screened as part of the Festival Favorites program. Stark and suitably set in the barren landscape of the Chinese desert, the movie explores loneliness and exudes a sense of desperation. Director Guan Hu (known for “Mr Six,” “Run for Love,” “Cow”) follows a murder convict who leaves prison and lands a job as a dog catcher in a work that strongly reminded me of the celebrated Japanese auteur Takeshi Kitano.

Lang (essayed by a grim Eddie Peng) is hired to trap strays in the Gobi Desert. But a man with a heart that melts, he watches in anguish as the canines are mistreated and decides to adopt one. Once a celebrity — a stunt motorcyclist, a great guitarist and the son of a bigwig — Lang’s incarceration sees him transformed into a completely different person that is wonderfully encapsulated by Peng.

Strictly for art house fans, “Black Dog” can be a hard watch for others and the starkness of a part of the country with its decay and hostile desert sands is far from the allure that we often associate with cinema. Hu does not seem to care as he tells us with brutal frankness how dozens of dogs (some suffering from fatal rabies) are hunted down with a huge net by catchers — the scenes can be revolting to some.

“Black Dog” relies on one too many contrived incidents that impede the narrative flow, but if you’re a fan of moody, almost allegorical films, this one is for you.


Emma Roberts to star in AlUla-shot thriller

Emma Roberts to star in AlUla-shot thriller
Updated 11 December 2024
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Emma Roberts to star in AlUla-shot thriller

Emma Roberts to star in AlUla-shot thriller
  • Shooting of the ‘Fourth Wall’ begins in the first quarter of 2025

JEDDAH: Hollywood actress Emma Roberts is set to star in a film shot at AlUla Studios in Saudi Arabia, according to Film AlUla and global media company Stampede Ventures.

The movie, the “Fourth Wall,” will begin shooting in AlUla in the first quarter of 2025. It is part of a deal between CEO Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures and Film AlUla that was announced last year.

“The initial collaboration has been recalibrated to focus on producing a specific slate of four films well-suited for production at AlUla Studios and to further the key objective of knowledge-sharing and mentoring local talent,” a press release stated, explaining a shift from the previously announced 10 film deal down to four films that will “further the key objective of knowledge-sharing and mentoring local talent.”

Although the film title was revealed last year, this is the first time Roberts has been publicly attached to the project. 

The film follows a former child star from a popular TV sitcom who is kidnapped and wakes up in a complete recreation of the show’s set with the rest of the cast.

This is where she must work through her trauma and recreate iconic moments from the series to stay alive and find a way out.

Written by Jerry Kontogiorgis, the film will be produced by Silverman and Grant Torre of Stampede Ventures and directed by Alexis Ostrander (“Servant”).

US actress Roberts (“Space Cadet,” “Holidate”) will have the lead role.

Stampede Ventures is among the first to use Film AlUla’s production facility, which includes a soundstage, backlot, production support buildings, workshops, warehouses, recording studio, and training and rehearsal space, all over 2,787 sq. meters.

There will be an emphasis on using Saudi talent during the production process, with introductory workshops and on-site training across various departments. This includes production staff, camera crew, art department, set operations, lighting, locations, transportation, sound, wardrobe, and makeup.

In a statement, Silverman said: “After a very positive recent experience shooting ‘K-Pops’ on location in AlUla, Stampede Ventures is now thrilled to bring more films to our partnership with RCU.

“Our productions will celebrate the unique allure of AlUla as a setting for cinematic creativity and the inspiring energy and love for filmmaking of the men and women of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

The “K-Pops” production was directed by eight-time Grammy winner Anderson .Paak.


Marisa Tomei praises Saudi efforts to grow local film industry

Marisa Tomei praises Saudi efforts to grow local film industry
Updated 11 December 2024
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Marisa Tomei praises Saudi efforts to grow local film industry

Marisa Tomei praises Saudi efforts to grow local film industry

JEDDAH: Academy Award-winning US actress Marisa Tomei turned heads at the Red Sea International Film Festival red carpet on Tuesday night, following a talk she gave at the Red Sea Souk earlier in the day.

“It’s been fantastic,” Tomei said of her time so far in Jeddah in an interview with Arab News. “I’m looking forward to going into the Jeddah Old Town. I’m looking forward to being at the gala. I’m very curious about this film about this opera singer. It’s a comedy,” she said, referring to Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Almuzaini’s latest film “Lail Nahar,” which premiered at the festival.

Marisa Tomei on the red carpet in Jeddah. (Getty Images)

She went on about being in Saudi Arabia: “It’s just beautiful. It’s just a dream. It is one of the best parts of this career and being part of this business — to be able to travel, meet new people, see totally interesting, different approaches to life.”

Tomei also took a beat to praise the Kingdom’s efforts to support the growing film industry.

“And what’s going on here in terms of the labs that they’re doing and growing these film studios, and what they’re doing for women in film is really, really, really exciting and paying dividends back. And I mean, only in four years … It’s really, really impressive and exciting, and I’m excited to see what comes, just what continues to come out of here, and it’s just being done in such an elegant, thoughtful way. I’m blown away by that,” she said.

Tomei, who was last prominently seen in the “Spider-Man” trilogy as Aunt May to Tom Holland’s titular character, said she loved working with director Jon Watts on the popular Marvel project.

“I loved being with Jon Watts. I think he’s a great director. He always was saying to us, ‘Let’s do this like an independent film.’ So even though it was this giant film, he kept it really intimate, and he was always open to ideas,” she said.

“Jon always felt, or we felt together, that (Aunt May) really raised Peter Parker and so that her influence would have really been the most massive in his life, and I think that’s also why she gave the classic Uncle Ben line in that pivotal moment. Jon just really had his hands around that. And it was really fun. And it was also fun to do some of the little bit of action scenes that I got to do. And, you know, have my hair really long,” she added.