Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Five Saudi women directors will participate in the upcoming Dubai International Film Festival from Dec. 6 to Dec. 13, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported on Friday.

Hajer Al-Naeem is participating with her film “Detained”. The film tells the story of a Syrian girl who becomes a refugee in the United States. She is then detained by the American National Security because her father was involved in terrorist activities. The girl struggles to prove her innocence in this heart-breaking story of families being torn apart by civil strife.

Al-Naeem has a Master›s degree in cinema production from the United States and she participated in the Saudi Film Festival held in Dammam with a short film titled “Amal”.

Hanaa Al-Fasi will be screening her new movie “Halawah”, which talks about the journey of a girl struggling between childhood and womanhood. The cast includes Malak Ridwan and Sara Al-Hazmi.

Al-Fasi has directed many other films including “The Last Suhoor”, which was screened at MBC Film Festival, and “Hadaf”, which was shot during her studies in Los Angeles and screened on the Saudi Channel in Dammam.

Haifaa Al-Mansour will be screening her international film “Mary Shelley”. The film was screened in Toronto International Film Festival a month ago. The film will compete against 20 other international films at Dubai International Film Festival.

The film portrays the life of the famous British author Mary Shelley who wrote the first fictional novel “Frankenstein”.

Al-Mansour is considered one of the most successful Saudi cinematographers in history. She made the film “Wajda”, which was screened in Hollywood and several international festivals. After completing her film “Mary Shelley”, she began working on a Netflix film, which will be released next year.

Two other Saudi directors Hind Al-Fahad and Dhiyaa Yousif won the Dubai International Film Festival Enjaz Program, which funded the production of their movie with a SR250,000 grant. They will produce “Sharshaf” and “Walad Sidrah”, which will explore new genres in Saudi filmmaking.

Poet Hissah Hilal, popular as the Rimiyah, will attend the event with her documentary “The Poetess”, which tells her life story and how she won the Million Riyal Poet Competition, which was known to be a male dominion hitherto.

The film was produced by the German director Stefani Brookhaus. and True to her faith and identity, Hilal remains veiled during the entirety of the film.