Dhahran, 2 July 2026 – The twelfth edition of the Saudi Film Festival continued on Wednesday at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative of Saudi Aramco. Organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with Ithra and supported by the Film Commission, the festival showcased a diverse program of 14 films spanning feature-length fiction, documentaries, the Cinema of Journey program, and Spotlight on Korean Cinema. The day also featured the ongoing Experts Sessions and post-screening discussions with filmmakers.
Wednesday’s program reflected the festival’s rich diversity, bringing together documentaries exploring heritage, identity, traditional arts, sports, diving, cybersecurity, and artistic biographies, alongside feature films blending psychological mystery, fantasy, romance, and comedy. The Cinema of Journey program took audiences across five countries in a single day, while the Korean cinema showcase explored the pursuit of cinematic dreams amid everyday life.
The feature film competition presented the Saudi premiere of Emirati director Nayla Al Khaja’s psychological thriller Bab (Door) and the Saudi romantic fantasy comedy A Matter of Life or Death by director Anas Batahaf.
The documentary competition featured six films covering Saudi heritage, traditional craftsmanship, digital identity, folk culture, diving traditions, music, and celebrated artistic figures. Highlights included King of Bishts, Marjooj Hazzazi, Gunpowder Fog, Depth, Fareeha, and Saad’s Bundle, the latter presented in the presence of renowned Kuwaiti artist Saad Al-Faraj.
The Cinema of Journey section screened five international films from China, France, Egypt, Iraq, and the United States, highlighting diverse human experiences and cultures. Meanwhile, the Spotlight on Korean Cinema program presented the Arab premiere of Hello, directed by Roh Young-wan, following the story of a young delivery worker pursuing his dream of becoming a filmmaker.
The festival also continued its Experts Sessions, providing filmmakers with one-on-one consultations in production, directing, project development, programming, criticism, and screenwriting, alongside audience discussions with filmmakers after each screening.
On the industry front, the Production Market concluded with record-breaking achievements. A total of 51 awards worth more than SAR 4 million were presented—an increase of over 60% compared with the previous edition. The market also facilitated 48 meetings and partnerships between filmmakers and production companies, reinforcing its growing role as a catalyst for Saudi Arabia’s film industry.
With the conclusion of the Production Market, attention now turns to the closing ceremony of the festival’s twelfth edition, where winners of the major competition categories will be honored with the prestigious Golden Palm Awards.
