Jeddah-Set Saudi Fantasy Romance ‘HWJN’ To Open Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival
deadline.comSaudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival will open its third edition, running from November 30 to December 9, with local movie HWJN, a fantasy romance combining Arabian folklore with modern themes that unfolds against the backdrop of the event’s home of Jeddah.
Deadline exclusively revealed a trailer for the production earlier this year. Watch it here. The choice of a Saudi movie marks a break with Red Sea’s first two editions – which kicked off with English-language features Cyrano and What’s Love Got To Do With It?
in 2021 and 2022 respectively. HWJN is the most ambitious production to date to come out of a partnership between major Gulf players Image Nation Abu Dhabi, VOX Studios and MBC Studios first announced in Cannes in 2019. “Opening the festival with a highly anticipated film like HWJN is a momentous event,” RSIFF Arab Programs & Film Classics Director Antoine Khalife said of the opening night honor, which comes just six years after Saudi Arabia announced the lifting it 35-year cinema ban. “With HWJN, Saudi cinema proves its capacity to bring together talents from across the Arab world at both the production and artistic levels.
Through this choice, the Red Sea not only honors Saudi cinema but also all Arab talents, highlighting the remarkable progress that the Kingdom has witnessed in recent times,” he continued The film is screening as part of the festival’s previously announced Arab Spectacular line-up.
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