DUBAI: The Saudi Film Festival is set to return for its 11th edition from April 17 to 23, at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).

This year’s theme, “Cinema of Identity,” will explore how films shape and reflect individual, national, and cultural identities.

Organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with Ithra and supported by the Film Commission, the festival will feature 68 films from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf — including Iraq and Yemen — and beyond.

The narrative features in competition include “Hobal,” “My Driver and I,” “Thuqoub,” “Fakher Al-Suwaidi,” Anaashed Adam,” “Es-aaf,” “Behind the Mountains” and “Adjourned.”

A highlight this year is the honorary tribute to Ibrahim Al-Hasawi, a veteran Saudi actor with over three decades of experience in theater, television, and cinema. His notable works include the TV series “Tash Ma Tash” and “Bayni Wa Baynak,” as well as films such as Ithra’s “Hajjan,” “Zero Distance,” and the recent “Hobal.” 

This year’s lineup includes seven Saudi and Gulf feature films, 22 short fiction films, and seven documentaries, alongside 12 parallel screenings of Saudi productions. The festival will also host four panel discussions, four advanced masterclasses and three book-signing sessions for the Saudi Cinema Encyclopedia.

The plaza and library at Ithra will host ‘Meet the Expert’ one-on-one sessions and private screenings, offering filmmakers ample opportunities for personalized mentorship and feedback.

A key component of the festival is its production market, which will showcase 22 booths from various production entities, providing filmmakers with a platform to develop and present their work. And to network.

Additionally, Japanese cinema will be in focus, marking 70 years of Saudi-Japan relations, with eight Japanese films and expert discussions.

Those Japanese films include: 

‘River Returns’

Hoping to save the village and his family from a flood, a young boy journeys alone to a pool deep in the mountains, following a tradition that is disappearing in post-war Japan.

‘Blue and White’

Ryusuke, who is grieving, makes salt on the day of his wife's funeral, aiming to preserve the local area’s salt making history.

‘Toma #2’

When Toma decides to place his father, who suffers from dementia, in a facility, he discovers an instant camera in his father's room that he had forgotten to develop.  

‘Kaburagi’

Kaburaki, a photographer for a weekly magazine, receives a message from an unknown source tipping him off about an idol he has been chasing.

‘Extremely Short’

Based on a story by Hideo Furukawa, the short film follows a man searching for the shortest thing in Tokyo.

‘The New World’

On a sunny June day, Kaname summons old friends to the wilderness with a purpose, but only one arrives.