With a new crop of film talent and striking locations waiting to be utilised, the Saudi Film Commission is bringing together some key players from the country's creative sector to make a strong case at the Cannes Film Festival 2022.
Along with a delegation of young filmmakers who will present their latest works at the Short Film Corner, the Saudi Arabia pavilion will host a panel discussion, titled State of Arabia, at the Marche du Film, the Cannes film market.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the best photos from Cannes Film Festival's opening night
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A guest arrives for the 'Final Cut' screening ahead of the opening ceremony of the 75th Cannes Film Festival in southern France, on May 17, 2022. AFP -
A young guest in front of photographers on the red carpet before the screening of 'Final Cut', at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. AFP -
French actress Frederique Bel arrives for the screening of 'Final Cut' at Cannes Film Festival. AFP -
French actress Frederique Bel arrives for the 'Final Cut' screening. AFP -
Eva Longoria at the screening of 'Final Cut' and the opening ceremony red carpet at Cannes film festival. Getty Images -
Jury member Deepika Padukone on stage during the 'Final Cut' screening and opening ceremony. Reuters -
Julianne Moore on stage with Vincent Lindon, jury president of the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Reuters -
Cannes Film Festival jury member Noomi Rapace with Vincent Lindon, Ladj Ly, Jeff Nichols and Joachim Trier. Reuters -
Katherine Langford attends the screening of 'Final Cut' and the opening ceremony red carpet. Getty Images -
Master of ceremony Virginie Efira speaks on stage during the opening event at Cannes. Reuters -
Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela on the red carpet. Reuters -
A guest at the screening of 'Final Cut' ahead of the opening ceremony at Cannes. AFP -
Lashana Lynch at the screening of 'Final Cut'. Getty Images -
'Final Cut' director Michel Hazanavicius and cast members Berenice Bejo and Finnegan Oldfield. Reuters -
Singer Tallia Storm on the red carpet. Reuters -
Jury member Deepika Padukone at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Reuters -
Forest Whitaker, right, receives the Honorary Palme d’Or Award from Cannes Film Festival president Pierre Lescure. Reuters -
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a video address from his country, at Cannes Film Festival. Reuters -
Frederique Bel at the opening ceremony and premiere of 'Final Cut' at Cannes. AP Photo -
Miss France 2021 Amandine Petit on the red carpet. Reuters -
Crew members install the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals, ahead of the opening day of the 75th Cannes Film Festival. AP Photo
The panel will feature Saudi producer and director Aymen Khoja, Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy and Tunisian director Lotfy Nathan, who makes his feature debut with Harka, the recipient of the Red Sea International Film Festival's Red Sea Souk Award in December.
Harka will also be screened at the Un Certain Regard section, dedicated to up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world.
Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla’s film agency, will also host a panel at the US pavilion, to introduce the country as a global film hub.
Over the past 18 months, Saudi Arabia has provided the backdrop for three major Hollywood films: Ric Roman Waugh’s coming action thriller Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler, and filmed in AlUla and Jeddah; Rupert Wyatt’s historical epic Desert Warrior, starring Anthony Mackie and Ben Kingsley, shot in the new city-state of Neom and the region of Tabuk, and set to be released later this year; and the Russo brothers’ crime drama Cherry, starring Tom Holland, which was shot in AlUla and Riyadh, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Under the Saudi Film Commission's production cash rebate system, projects shot in the country are eligible to get back up to 40 per cent of qualifying production costs.
The Saudi pavilion will also preview eight local feature films that have reached completion in the past year. These include Norah, written and directed by Tawfik Alzaidi, and Within Sand, directed by Moe Alatawi. Both films were recipients of a fund award at the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw’ Film Competition in 2019.
Saudi Arabia hosts two film festivals annually — the Saudi Film Festival, now in its eighth year, and the Red Sea International Film Festival, which was held for the first time in December.
Cannes Film Festival runs until May 28
Scroll through the gallery below to see photos from the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival
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Actress Hillary Swank is greeted by Red Sea International Film Festival chairman Mohammed Al Turki on the opening night of the festival. AFP -
French actress Catherine Deneuve on the red carpet. -
From left, Saudi actress Mila Al Zahrani and festival chairman Mohammed Al Turki with actress Fay Fouad. AFP -
Egyptian actress Yousra. AFP -
Egyptian actress Tara Emad. AFP -
French actor Vincent Cassel and wife Tina Kunakey. AFP -
Portuguese model Sara Sampaio with festival chairman Al Turki. AFP -
Saudi actress Fay Fouad. AFP -
Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour receives an honorary award. AFP
