![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2KVPFT7HWRAPXIP2NVB7MDVL4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e10d0badfc2b31419afe596239e04050ca15ca016fbac00a6a1809c14f66440&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla has a special committee to ensure the preservation of protected sites
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UNYXTCC2OVCYZEOF4PALPMWAIA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4f8eaa71876cf967ecdfdf7e2c7d6afbcf385cb9898a3ad7f30abd39cbb61111&width=400&height=225)
The otherworldly landscape of AlUla makes the area a prime filming location. All Photos: Film AlUla
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ETLC5JNWWNBH5KV7FFCBA4LFVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b00561e7222f5af492afb00e54e483e839a9aac790998e194d253b35ce3cd8af&width=400&height=225)
AlUla lay on the ancient incense trade route, a land and sea network spanning the Mediterranean, north-eastern Africa, Arabia and India
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/64TDK5GWYZCSXEKT2GUDWYFESY.jpg?smart=true&auth=432324cc7ddcaae8bd1271d291061752797141e1f5969607dd0343de6c6599ed&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla is in the Madinah region in north-western Saudi Arabia
The area has a diverse landscape unique in itself
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BCSNZ6AAHRCDVNF2ASXWPY4IAU.jpg?smart=true&auth=deb8dd6f277db500a907609b04a7d364f3de6188e8d5e10597ffaf8870ea8893&width=400&height=225)
The region surrounding the walled city of AlUla, established around the sixth century BC
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DULRNC6NXBCE7AY7PGGAX6YNEA.jpg?smart=true&auth=708bc45166702c03fdb4ebb849ffd380eec3b4affc2b7f2e60f37b77576e52f7&width=400&height=225)
AlUla hosts remnants of civilisations dating back more than 7,000 years
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ANDI2DNICBDG3OHA3JKUBYXNHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a2b0fe46f409c07d08a60fb748ec4bfe22fc19bdb82036ca35b1bf909920fbf7&width=400&height=225)
Dating back to the first century BC, Hegra served as the southern capital of the Nabataean kingdom, believed to have stretched from Yemen to Damascus and western Iraq to the Sinai desert
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/USSDTY6FBRGKPKMP55EMH5VWBU.jpg?smart=true&auth=99b8a644f7ec410d201daba712935dff9eac4a0c0daa3d38eb75d4e56be79518&width=400&height=225)
Other historical sites in the area include the stone city of Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K732UXRUARHZ7E3I7YWYGDLLEA.jpeg?smart=true&auth=4281bf7e1a4b86386eb63051b25c42706bdcbc05c3b602ecf50ae241c2277577&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla has hosted 694 production days since opening in 2020
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DKXD3SROVRFUHCFNHIKTKEAZYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=23ead547d71a302793e2977479983b6bbb9860bd0bc7c43e275984f306281233&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla is aiming to make the area much more than simply a backdrop destination for filmmakers
The film Norah is directed by Tawfik Alzaidi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C4SH7CANI5EVXLJP3WDP4QU4RA.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f5bb3b8350f3ae70dee90707d92ef2051bde2bf1cb2e39e719622502e31ed8a&width=400&height=225)
The historical areas in AlUla will make the region a particularly enticing one for filmmakers, especially as there haven’t been many depictions of it on the big screen
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2KVPFT7HWRAPXIP2NVB7MDVL4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e10d0badfc2b31419afe596239e04050ca15ca016fbac00a6a1809c14f66440&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla has a special committee to ensure the preservation of protected sites
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UNYXTCC2OVCYZEOF4PALPMWAIA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4f8eaa71876cf967ecdfdf7e2c7d6afbcf385cb9898a3ad7f30abd39cbb61111&width=400&height=225)
The otherworldly landscape of AlUla makes the area a prime filming location. All Photos: Film AlUla
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ETLC5JNWWNBH5KV7FFCBA4LFVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b00561e7222f5af492afb00e54e483e839a9aac790998e194d253b35ce3cd8af&width=400&height=225)
AlUla lay on the ancient incense trade route, a land and sea network spanning the Mediterranean, north-eastern Africa, Arabia and India
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/64TDK5GWYZCSXEKT2GUDWYFESY.jpg?smart=true&auth=432324cc7ddcaae8bd1271d291061752797141e1f5969607dd0343de6c6599ed&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla is in the Madinah region in north-western Saudi Arabia
The area has a diverse landscape unique in itself
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BCSNZ6AAHRCDVNF2ASXWPY4IAU.jpg?smart=true&auth=deb8dd6f277db500a907609b04a7d364f3de6188e8d5e10597ffaf8870ea8893&width=400&height=225)
The region surrounding the walled city of AlUla, established around the sixth century BC
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DULRNC6NXBCE7AY7PGGAX6YNEA.jpg?smart=true&auth=708bc45166702c03fdb4ebb849ffd380eec3b4affc2b7f2e60f37b77576e52f7&width=400&height=225)
AlUla hosts remnants of civilisations dating back more than 7,000 years
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ANDI2DNICBDG3OHA3JKUBYXNHY.jpg?smart=true&auth=a2b0fe46f409c07d08a60fb748ec4bfe22fc19bdb82036ca35b1bf909920fbf7&width=400&height=225)
Dating back to the first century BC, Hegra served as the southern capital of the Nabataean kingdom, believed to have stretched from Yemen to Damascus and western Iraq to the Sinai desert
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/USSDTY6FBRGKPKMP55EMH5VWBU.jpg?smart=true&auth=99b8a644f7ec410d201daba712935dff9eac4a0c0daa3d38eb75d4e56be79518&width=400&height=225)
Other historical sites in the area include the stone city of Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan kingdoms
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/K732UXRUARHZ7E3I7YWYGDLLEA.jpeg?smart=true&auth=4281bf7e1a4b86386eb63051b25c42706bdcbc05c3b602ecf50ae241c2277577&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla has hosted 694 production days since opening in 2020
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DKXD3SROVRFUHCFNHIKTKEAZYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=23ead547d71a302793e2977479983b6bbb9860bd0bc7c43e275984f306281233&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla is aiming to make the area much more than simply a backdrop destination for filmmakers
The film Norah is directed by Tawfik Alzaidi
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C4SH7CANI5EVXLJP3WDP4QU4RA.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f5bb3b8350f3ae70dee90707d92ef2051bde2bf1cb2e39e719622502e31ed8a&width=400&height=225)
The historical areas in AlUla will make the region a particularly enticing one for filmmakers, especially as there haven’t been many depictions of it on the big screen
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2KVPFT7HWRAPXIP2NVB7MDVL4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e10d0badfc2b31419afe596239e04050ca15ca016fbac00a6a1809c14f66440&width=400&height=225)
Film AlUla has a special committee to ensure the preservation of protected sites
How Film AlUla is driving the growth of Saudi Arabia's creative economy
The agency has begun building a 30,000-square-metre studio complex to lure international filmmakers to AlUla year-round
![Razmig Bedirian](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F275b4b76-cb6d-410e-a5df-c23d65484c26.png?smart=true&auth=fc94b07464368c9c664f3bd102f95ffe4c76b1b38fe7d6fee2362e26add51d0e&width=70&height=70)
Razmig Bedirian
06 December, 2022
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