Ithra Film Production (IFP), the filmmaking body of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), is at the forefront of the burgeoning film industry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Based in the eastern province of Dhahran, Ithra was established with the mission statement to “make a tangible and positive impact on human development by inspiring a passion for knowledge, creativity, and cross-cultural engagement for the future of the Kingdom”.
The iconic building in which Ithra is housed aims to physically evoke these goals. The physical structure is designed by Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta to represent a collection of ‘stones’, symbolising unity. The foundations were laid in 2008 and today houses museums, a theatre, labs for creative endeavours, youth programmes, a four-story library with 270,000 publications in Arabic and English, and a state-of-the-art cinema.
The filmmaking arm is one of KSA’s leading film production houses and is headed by filmmaker and actor Majed Z. Samman, head of Ithra Cinema. Ithra Film Production has been working to support Saudi creatives, both in front of and behind the camera, to make short films since 2016, two years before the much heralded opening up of Saudi cinema following release of Marvel/Disney’s Black Panther in the country in 2018.
That same year, Ithra Film Production produced and released the feature-length Joud, directed by Australian filmmaker Andrew Lancaster and produced by Saudi engineer turned writer and filmmaker Abdullah Al-Eyaf, who has gone on become CEO of the film commission at the Saudi Ministry of Culture.
Joud, which translates as ‘generosity, goodness towards others’, screened in Saudi venues and internationally at places such as Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts and the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.
Since then, Ithra Film Production has produced 23 features, many of which have been showcased at over 75 film festivals around the world. They include Abdulrahman Sandokji’s 2019 documentary The Cave, 2023 feelgood drama Valley Road and camel adventure epic Hajjan, directed by Egypt’s A.B. Shawky.
Hajjan world premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023 and went on to screen at the 2023 Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah. Most recently Hajjan garnered three awards, best feature, best actor for Omar Alatawi for his role as protagonist Matar, and best cinematography at the Gulf Cinema Festival. It was a full sweep across all categories in which the film was nominated, all announced at the Festival’s closing ceremony on April 18.
“Ithra has a longstanding commitment to foster Saudi cinema,” says Mansour Al-Badran, vice president Saudi Film Festival and cinema coordinator at Ithra. “Our extensive experience in film production and support programmes allows us to make a significant impact on the industry’s growth and development. Ithra’s commitment is to bring world culture to the Kingdom and present the Saudi experience to the world.”
He explains Ithra works to produce films that find an international audience while remaining true to Saudi traditional values.
“Our films showcase the unique vision of Saudi filmmakers while contributing to a richer cinematic landscape, both locally and internationally,” says Al-Badran.
During the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, IFP announced a fund which aims to finance up to five films annually that will shoot in the Kingdom. Further details are expected on this soon.
A further strand of Ithra’s film support is the Ithra Film Society, a vibrant hub for emerging Saudi filmmakers. “It provides a platform for them to connect, share experiences, and learn from industry professionals through workshops and guest speaker sessions featuring established directors, actors, and writers,” Al-Badran explains.
The Society holds monthly meetings where filmmakers gather to discuss filmmaking topics, screen films and critique them, as well as table-read scripts. Talks are given by renowned local figures such as Mohammad Makki, the director of the YouTube to Netflix series Takki.
“The Film Society is one of our most active and well-regarded programmes,” says Al-Badran.
Al-Badran is also vice president of the Saudi Film Festival, the brainchild of local poet and film enthusiast Ahmed Almulla. It is KSA’s longest-running film event and takes place in the grounds of Ithra.
“We leverage our vast experience in cultural initiatives – operations, media, communication, and artistic direction – to contribute to the festival’s continued success,” says Al-Badran.
This year’s 10th-anniversary edition is taking place from May 2-9.
Contact: www.ithra.com
No comments yet