DUBAI: The Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF) unveiled a five-film collection for its Arab Spectacular section, which features world premieres of three Saudi titles exploring societal changes in the Kingdom. Antoine Khalife, director of Arab Programs & Film Classics for the RSIFF, said in a statement: “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.” Among the Saudi films is “My Driver and I,” the directorial debut of Saudi creative Ahd Kamel.
Set in 1980s and 90s Jeddah, the film follows a rebellious Saudi girl and her Sudanese driver as they form a friendship which is tested when she starts to take the wheel. “Hobal,” by Saudi director Abdulaziz Alshlahei, follows a Bedouin family whose members are forced by its patriarch to live in isolation in the desert due to fear of an infectious disease during the 1990s. The third Saudi film to screen in the section is the much-anticipated “Lail Nahar,” directed by filmmaker Abdulaziz Almuzaini, who is behind popular Saudi TV series and movie “Masameer.
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