City Jeddah Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Ben Croll An evangelist for the premium format, France’s CGR Cinemas has forged a growing number of international partnerships since the exhibition chain began exporting its proprietary Immersive Cinema Experience (ICE) model in 2017. At the start of this year, CGR – through its export arm ICE Theaters – had already opened premium rooms in Barcelona, Los Angeles, New Dehli and Jeddah, among others; by December, the premium format will win over new converts in Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand and Estonia, with even more to come. As part of its strategy, ICE Theaters teams with local distributors and top exhibition chains, lending “legitimacy” to a still-young brand, designed in-house, that outfits a row of LED panels on both sides of an auditorium and fills them with bespoke visuals extending the action onscreen (“It’s like surround sound but for light,” is how an ICE exec describes it).

Ben Croll An irreverent fable that imagines a civilization’s rise, fracture and fall, Pedro Harres’ “From the Main Square” took top honors at the NewImages Festival on Friday, claiming the festival’s Grand Prize, which came with €6,000 ($6,597) in prize money. Born in Brazil and based in Berlin, Harres channeled his frustrations and heartache about his native country into a tragicomic frenzy, orchestrating a 360-degree symphony of animated antics, human folly, and shocking bursts of violence that follows an allegorical country as it speed-runs toward oblivion. The filmmaker described the project as “a collage of urban absurdities, sometimes funny, sometimes brutal, that arise in societies in the process of political polarization and environmental collapse.”

Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) has officially launched its Film Sector Financing Program (FSFP) offering financial support to local and international film companies that want to get involved in the country’s burgeoning cinema industry.

Are you ready for the next F1 race this weekend?

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Hams Fekri, a 29-year-old Saudi wedding singer from Jeddah, has been crowned the winner of the first season of “Saudi Idol” during a moving live finale from The Boulevard Riyadh City recreational complex. The golden-throated Fekri was exultant after battling it out in front of a live studio audience and panel of judges for 13 weeks. She emerged victorious out of three finalists to win most audience votes for the night. Fekri’s mother — who achieved success as a pop singer during the 1980s, but subsequently faded into obscurity — hugged her daughter on stage.  In addition to being named the very first “Saudi Idol,” Fekri also won a recording contract with MBC Group’s Platinum Records label which involves the release of a full studio album in the coming months.

Cristiano Ronaldo has taken to social media in the aftermath of Al-Nassr losing to Saudi Pro League title rivals Al-Ittihad to post a series of workout photos captioned with a cryptic message.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s Film AlUla, the entity looking to attract international productions to a sprawling area of desert and giant boulders that boasts an ancient city, is forging fashion world ties. The film commission for the swathe of northwest Saudi Arabia roughly the size of Belgium that also comprises a lush oasis and vast sandstone canyons, is launching an initiative called AlUla Creates involving use of an eco-friendly studio and the possibility of tapping into development funds for projects by female directors at the intersection of film and fashion. AlUla Creates has partnered with the British Fashion Council and with Saudi actress Mia Al Zahrani (“The Perfect Candidate”); British filmmaker and creative director Alec Maxwell – founder of digital platform Kloss Films whose clients include Bulgari, Stella McCartney, and Carolina Herrera –; and fashion models Helena Christensen and Eva Herzigova as “ambassadors” to promote the platform, according to a statement.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr will be out to extract revenge this week when being reacquainted with fellow Saudi Pro League title contenders Al-Ittihad.

Saudi Arabian family comedy Sattar, set against the world of freestyle wrestling, has continued its record-breaking run at home to become one of the country’s top five highest-grossing local movies ever.

Travel blog by Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog) – Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog) - Travel & Lifestyle Hipster Blog Saudi’s gateway to commerce, art and pilgrimages is the most acclaimed city of Jeddah. This seaport hub is the brainchild of the Kingdom’s efforts to reinvest and proclaim art as its national language. Over the past few years, the cultural reformations made by the Ministry of Culture to promote the art of many forms have been a successful welcome among the residents and tourists.

Naman Ramachandran The Backstreet Boys, who have a massive fan base in India, will be returning to the country after 13 years for two concerts. The band’s world tour began after the release of chart topping 2019 album “DNA,” featuring the hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” BookMyShow and Live Nation are bringing the tour to India. The band will play at Jio World Gardens, Mumbai on May 4 and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi on May 5. Prior to that the Backstreet Boys have performances lined up in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Hong Kong, Reykjavik and Cairo. After India, the tour carries on in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Jeddah, Tel Aviv, Cape Town and Pretoria.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Fund has unveiled its latest round of feature film grantees from the Arab world and Africa.

Iraqi filmmaker Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji picked up the Golden Yusr for Best Feature Film at the Red Sea Film Festival with his debut feature Hanging Gardens.

Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund is poised to launch a new $233m ($879m Saudi Riyal) film industry financing program in the first quarter of 2023, which will be open to both local and international entities.

Saudi Arabian actress Ahd Kamel’s long gestated feature directorial debut My Driver And I is a step closer to coming to fruition, following the arrival of fresh partners on the project.

All eyes are on Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning film industry as the second edition of its Red Sea International Film Festival continues to unfold this week in the port city of Jeddah, running from December 1 to 10.

As Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival kicks into gear in Jeddah, a parallel film program is underway 300 miles north in the small desert town of AlUla.

Spike Lee is at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival in the port city of Jeddah this weekend to present a screening of his Oscar-nominated 1992 epic biopic Malcolm X and participate in an In-Conversation event.

Saudi Arabia’s emerging fashion design labels have been making their red carpet world premiere over the past few days at the Red Sea International Film Festival, running December 1-10 in the port city of Jeddah.

Olive Stone voiced support for Saudi Arabia at the opening on Thursday of the second edition of country’s Red Sea International Film Festival, which he is attending as president of the international jury.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled a star-studded In-Conversations program as the second edition gets underway in the port city of Jeddah today.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (December 1 to 10) kicks off its second edition in the port city of Jeddah this week.

Ruben Östlund Appointed Honorary President of Göteborg Film FestivalRuben Östlund has been appointed as the new Honorary President of Göteborg Film Festival. Östlund will be an advisor for the festival, starting with the upcoming 2023 edition. The board of Göteborg Film Festival appoints the Honorary President for five years, at which point it will be renewed or concluded. In a statement, Östlund described his decision to accept the honorary role as “easy and a joyful.” Past presidents include Ingmar Bergman and Roy Andersson. Östlund will speak at the opening ceremony of the 2023 edition. Jonas Holmberg, Artistic Director at Göteborg Film Festival, said: “With two Palme d’Or wins and many unforgettable cinematic moments, the Gothenburg-born and loyal visitor of the festival Ruben Östlund has the artistic integrity, the intellectual playfulness, and the international luminescence that make him an excellent Honorary President for Göteborg Film Festival.”

Aditya Chopra’s 1995 hit Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), starring Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol (Kajol Devgan), will kick off the public screenings of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival, running December 1-10 in the port city of Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has announced that renowned Indian actor and producer Shah Rukh Khan will receive an honorary award at its upcoming second edition running December 1-10.

Saudi Arabia film and digital content production and finance company Telfaz11 celebrated its 11th anniversary on Friday by announcing the start of shoot for its 11th feature film, Night Courier by Ali Al Kalthami.

Guy Ritchie To Receive Honorary Award At Red Sea Film FestivalGuy Ritchie is to receive an Honorary Award at this year’s Red Sea Film Festival. During the Festival (Dec 1—10), Ritchie will also take part in an ‘In Conversation’ event where he will talk through his cinematic career. Mohammed Al Turki, CEO of the RedSeaIFF, said: “Guy Ritchie is a pioneering director and unique storyteller. Over the last 20 years, he has created a huge variety of unforgettable characters featuring original and intricate plots on the big screen. We are delighted to honor his extraordinary talents at the Festival and look forward to welcoming him to Jeddah this December.”

President Biden and Democratic lawmakers doubled down on the importance of hostile actors boosting oil output Wednesday after a decision from a Saudi-led group to cut production. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the powerful Middle Eastern oil cartel, and its Russian counterpart announced a massive production cut of 2 million barrels of oil per day, the largest reduction since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.