Saudi’s Arabia’s Film Alula Teams With Distributor Front Row on Shorts by Emerging Female Saudi Filmmakers (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has taken global distribution rights for two Saudi Arabian short films premiering at the Red Sea International Film Festival that were developed under Film AlUla’s AlUla Creates program.

The small but significant distribution deal will give global visibility to the shorts, respectively titled “Malika” by Maram Taibah and “When The Shelves Hymn” by Hanaa Saleh Alfassi, the latter of which is also produced by Front Row, “underscoring the company’s commitment to supporting regional voices in filmmaking,” according to a Front Row statement. “The creativity coming from Saudi Arabia’s filmmakers is inspiring,” said Gianluca Chakra, CEO of Front Row Filmed Entertainment, in the statement.

Acquiring “Malika” and “When The Shelves Hymn” aligns with our mission to amplify regional voices and bring their stories to global audiences,” he added.

The Film AlUla shorts germinated from the AlUla Creates program at Film AlUla, the film commission for the swathe of northwest Saudi Arabia roughly the size of Belgium that also comprises a lush oasis and vast sandstone canyons.