Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan to dramatize British Yemeni boxing legend’s story
Updated 16 April 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: British Egyptian actor Amir El-Masry will star alongside Pierce Brosnan in the sports drama “Giant,” based on the story of British Yemeni boxer Naseem “Naz” Hamed.
El-Masry will play Hamed, who competed from 1992 to 2002, and Brosnan is set to portray his Irish-born boxing trainer Brendan Ingle. The film will be written and directed by Rowan Athale (“The Rise,” “Gangs of London,” “Strange But True”) and Sylvester Stallone is on board to executive produce, alongside other Hollywood executives.
“Giant” tells the story of the boxer’s humble beginnings in a working class area of Sheffield and his discovery by Ingle. Hamed shot to fame amid rampant Islamophobia and racism in 1980s and 1990s Britain.
El-Masry won a Scottish BAFTA for his performance in the film “Limbo” in 2021 and was cast in the fifth season of Netflix’s historical drama “The Crown” as the young Egyptian billionaire Mohamed El-Fayed, among other acting credits.
Haifaa Al-Mansour hopes to show ‘fire and bravery’ of Saudi women in Nike campaign film
Updated 21 sec ago
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: For Nike’s first Saudi campaign “What If You Can?” the US athletic brand collaborated with acclaimed Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour.
Shot in Riyadh, the film aims to inspire young girls in the Kingdom to try sporting activities, and Al-Mansour brought a level of craft and authenticity deeply rooted in Saudi culture to the project, as she has done throughout her career. Her groundbreaking debut feature, 2012’s “Wadjda,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, was a love letter to the young girls of Saudi Arabia.
“I really feel a responsibility to try and represent the world I grew up in as authentically as possible to audiences at home and abroad. I want to start conversations at home about issues that are important to us, while at the same time providing a window to our world to people who have never had access to it before,” Al-Mansour tells Arab News.
“I think it is very important to make a film that shows international audiences what life is really like in Saudi Arabia, as there are very few opportunities for them to see it otherwise. Even with ‘Wadjda,’ I heard from a lot of foreign audiences that were surprised by how strong and sassy Saudi women actually are. There is this perception that we are weak and shy and afraid of the world, and that we are just victims, resigned to the limited, restrictive circumstances of our culture. It is so not true. Saudi women are so tough, feisty, funny, and way more savvy than most people realize. I hope this (Nike campaign) further captures the fire and bravery of women from my country. Telling their stories is the honor and privilege of my life.”
Her work on the new campaign reminded Al-Mansour just how dramatic the changes in the Kingdom have been over the past decade.
“It was incredibly difficult to make a film in 2011. People were still very hesitant to embrace any public form of artistic expression,” she says. “Film, especially, was seen as taboo, and the idea of opening theaters had become a red line that most of us thought would never be crossed. Of course, now everything is different.
“For my first film I couldn’t work with the men in public, so I had to direct from a van,” she continues. “Being allowed to mix with my crew and be fully immersed in this production was amazing. It was also very exciting to have so many enthusiastic young Saudis working on the set. They are the future of the industry, and to see them giving their all was very special for me. We have a long way to go in building local expertise, but the enthusiasm is there. It’s an exciting time to be a Saudi filmmaker.”
For Al-Mansour, the Nike ad campaign is a natural extension of her work as a filmmaker.
“It feels like a dream to shoot a commercial encouraging Saudi women to participate in sport, with an all-female cast, in Saudi Arabia. While I love working in the West, there is a much deeper sense of pride and emotion for me when taking on projects shot in KSA. I feel such a strong connection to this story and these issues, it is very emotional for me,” she says.
Al-Mansour credits her parents for her creative spirit. “My father was a poet and philosopher who thought far beyond the borders of the tiny town he was from. And my mother is a free spirit. They never listened to people who criticized their way of life, and never limited opportunities for their children. It is incredibly brave to stand up for what you believe in, and neither of them ever backed down,” she says.
As for her legacy, Al-Mansour hopes to “encourage women to always push boundaries and look for new opportunities. I want to make films that show people adjusting to change and struggling through it the way we all have to. It isn’t easy for anyone. If I hear that this project encouraged someone to go out and try a sport for the first time, not knowing if they would even be able to do it, that would be the most rewarding thing I can imagine.”
Saudi Arabia’s Wadi AlFann Publications launches art books after Venice showcase
Updated 15 min 13 sec ago
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: AlUla-based Wadi AlFann Publications has launched two books — Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan’s “Oasis of Stories” and US artist Mark Dion’s “The Desert Field Guide.”
“Oasis of Stories” showcases drawings collected from AlDowayan’s participatory workshops with communities throughout AlUla, engaging over 700 Saudi women, leading up to her participation as the Kingdom’s representative at this year’s Venice Biennale.
The artworks, which were also displayed at the biennale, portray various aspects of the women’s lives, reflecting the rich tapestry of their culture and identity.
Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan. (Supplied)
Dion’s book assists “visitors and locals in unlocking the vast natural history of (AlUla) as well as its growing status as a cultural site,” he told Arab News.
“The deserts of AlUla are places of astonishing beauty and uncanny life forms,” Dion added. “The guide playfully, and at times mischievously, places Wadi AlFann in a global context, while highlighting unique life forms visitors might encounter. I am really trying to encourage a sense of wonder by emphasizing that the more you know about the desert, the more marvelous it becomes.”
AlDowayan and Dion hosted a panel discussion at the biennale last month and delved into their new launches, exploring how participation is fundamental to their practice as well as delivering insights on the desert.
Wadi AlFann’s Venice showcase featured the first five artists commissioned for the upcoming ‘cultural destination’ — AlDowayan, Agnes Denes, Michael Heizer, Ahmed Mater and James Turrell. They are producing artworks for eponymous AlUla valley, covering an area of 65 square kilometers. The project is scheduled to open its doors to visitors in late 2026.
AlDowayan told Arab News: “The most beautiful thing I have realized (at the Venice Biennale) … is the humanity we share and the language that we are trying to bring, about care, about climate change, and about preserving our languages and not really looking to the Western canon of how we are defined.”
Christie’s to stage retrospective of Saudi artist Ahmed Mater in London
Updated 26 min 23 sec ago
Arab News
DUBAI: Christie’s auction house has announced the first mid-career retrospective of Saudi artist Ahmed Mater.
The show, titled “Ahmed Mater: Chronicles” will take place at Christie’s headquarters in London, from July 17 – Aug. 22.
Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman, Christie’s Middle East and Africa, the exhibition will trace Ahmed Mater’s career and will include works across various mediums, including photography, videos, paintings, sculptures and installations.
“It is especially poignant for me to exhibit in London almost 20 years after the first presentation of my work outside Saudi Arabia at the British Museum, in 2005. I am thrilled with the opportunity to reconnect with the city and its dynamic art community through this immersive and comprehensive exhibition of my practice,” the artist said in a released statement.
Moumni added: “His artistic responses to the swift transformations within Saudi Arabia’s complex social and cultural context invite us to discover fascinating narratives of an evolving land and reflect on its multifaceted identity.’”
Arab stars, designers steal the spotlight in Cannes
Updated 15 May 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: As the curtain rose on the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Arab stars and designers once again stole the spotlight in the glamorous French Riviera setting.
The festival kicked off with the premiere of the film “The Second Act,” but not before Saudi influencer Yara Alnamlah hit the red carpet in a look by designer Rami Kadi. She sported jewels by Chaumet, including the Wheat necklace from Le Jardin de Chaumet High Jewellery collection.
Saudi influencer Yara Alnamlah posed on the red carpet. (Getty Images)
Shanina Shaik, the Australian-born model of Saudi, Pakistani, and Lithuanian descent, graced the opening night red carpet in a head-turning scarlet dress by Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad. Her strapless gown, featuring a sweetheart neckline and a dramatic overskirt, was from the designer’s ready-to-wear Fall 2024 collection.
Shanina Shaik, the Australian-born model of Saudi, Pakistani, and Lithuanian descent, graced the opening night red carpet in a head-turning scarlet dress by Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad. Her strapless gown, featuring a sweetheart neckline and a dramatic overskirt, was from the designer’s ready-to-wear Fall 2024 collection.
Shaik was not the only star on the red carpet championing an Arab designer.
US German model and TV host Heidi Klum stunned on the red carpet in a bold red gown by Lebanese designer Saiid Kobeisy. The dress gathered at the waist, revealing one leg, with silk fabric draping around her.
Meanwhile, US actress Jane Fonda donned a black jumpsuit adorned with crystal embroidery from Lebanese designer Elie Saab’s Fall 2019 collection. Completing her look, she opted for a leopard-print overcoat.
“The Second Act” is a French comedy starring Lea Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel and Raphaël Quenard. They play squabbling actors filming a movie directed by artificial intelligence.
The festival’s first lengthy standing ovation, though, went to Streep, who was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or during Tuesday’s opening ceremony. After Juliette Binoche introduced her, Streep shook her head, fanned herself and danced while the crowd thunderously cheered.
“I’m just so grateful that you haven’t gotten sick of my face and you haven’t gotten off of the train,” said Streep, who soon thereafter declared Cannes officially open with Binoche.
Saudi director Shahad Ameen’s ‘Hijra’ set to wrap filming
This is the director’s second movie following her debut feature film “Scales,” which premiered at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival
Once filming wraps, editing will take place in Paris under the guidance of Hervé de Luz
Updated 15 May 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen is in the production phase of her latest film, “Hijra,” with the film set to be edited in Paris after filming wraps in May.
This is the director’s second movie following her debut feature film “Scales,” which toured international festivals and premiered at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival, where it received the Verona Film Club Award. “Scales” was also submitted to the Best International Feature Film category by the Kingdom at the 93rd Academy Awards.
Ameen began filming “Hijra” in March and is anticipated to wrap up shooting on May 24, according to a released statement.
A photograph taken on the set of 'Hijra.' (Supplied/ Ziyad Alzayer)
The shooting locations encompass eight cities in the Kingdom: Taif, Jeddah, Madinah, Wadi Al-Faraa, AlUla, Tabuk, NEOM, and Duba.
The film follows the journey of a grandmother with her two granddaughters from Taif to Makkah. When the eldest granddaughter goes missing, they embark on a quest to the north of the Kingdom.
The film stars Saudi talents Khairiya Nazmi, Nawaf Al-Dhufairi and Lamar Feddan.
Once filming wraps, editing will take place in Paris under the guidance of Hervé de Luz, known for his work on “Jacques,” “Ghost Writer” and “The Pianist.”
The film’s crew also includes Chilean cinematographer Miguel Littin Menz and British set designer Chris Richmond.
In a released statement, Ameen said: “‘Hijra’ is one of the most difficult films I have worked on, and we are still halfway through. We are filming in eight different cities and remote areas. Still, the team and I fully believe in the importance of this story, which tells the story of Saudi women from different generations, and the conflict that ensues.
“All of this is in the plot of a road film that highlights the cultural and historical diversity of the Kingdom and stresses that the Kingdom was and still is a refuge for all people who sought safety in this holy land,” she added.
For “Hijra,” Ameen is teaming up with Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Al-Daradji, Biet Ameen Production, the Iraqi Independent Film Center, Ideation Studio by Saudi producer Faisal Baltyuor, veteran Egyptian Mohamed Hefzy, Abboud Ayyash, Sayed Abou Haidar, the Red Sea Fund and Film AlUla for the production of the movie.
Hefzy said: “Having collaborated with Shahad on ‘Scales,’ we feel Shahad is onto something very special and more ambitious with ‘Hijra,’ and are only proud and eager to complete the journey with her and her producing team.”
The film has also received support from the Daw Initiative Saudi Film Commission, Ithra and NEOM.
