4th Saudi Film Festival to focus on strengthening nascent industry

DAMMAM: The fourth edition of the Saudi Film Festival begins Monday evening in Dhahran.

The Culture and Arts Association in Dammam, in association with King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, has organized the event.

The festival, extending over six days, includes the participation of 58 Saudi films, according to SPA.

The festival will also show a promotional film showcasing the participating films in this edition as well as exhibiting a documentary film on the festival’s third edition. It will also honor artists participating in the film industry in the Kingdom.

The festival will also have competitions in the fields of narrative films, documentaries, student films, scenario competitions as well as holding workshops in the management and financing of the cultural production. Another workshop will give the basics of 3- D as well as a workshop in the issue of cinematography, in theory and practice as well as the improvisation in front of camera. The workshop will also focus on story structure and character development. The Culture and Arts Association in Dammam said in a statement that the festival aims to raise the standards of quality and technical arrangements in order to elevate the supporting content of the festival’s competitions. The association stressed that the festival is considered one of the programs of the national initiative to support the Saudi film industry and activate the cultural movement in the Kingdom. The initiative supports young men and women interested in production and providing a creative environment to exchange ideas.