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A Saudi sculptor who spent eight years carving the words of the Holy Qur’an onto 30 marble slabs hopes his feat will be recognized by Guinness World Records.
Husban bin Ahmad Al-Enizi’s passion for the art started 20 years ago after he developed an interest in the Arabic language.
He went on to sculpt a stone encyclopedia of basmalah (the opening part of the Qur’an) on blocks and granite sourced from his base in the Tabuk region.
Al-Enizi used Ottoman calligraphy to create his Qur’an sculpture on green marble slabs and said that the Tabuk region, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, with its many castles and palaces, had inspired artists down through the centuries.
The region has been home to the Thamud, Aramean, and Nabataean people, among other tribes, and archaeological sites show human presence dating back several centuries B.C.
Ancient inhabitants of the area produced ploughs, boats, and even houses by carving in wood and stone and Al-Enizi noted that the Saudi government had helped to keep sculpting and other traditional arts and crafts alive through the establishment of the Heritage Commission.
source/content: arabnews.com
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Husban bin Ahmad Al-Enizi used Ottoman calligraphy to create his Qur’an sculpture on green marble slabs. (SPA)
Moroccan-French animator Mounia Aram won the Cultural Innovator Award at the 2022 Black in Animation Awards Show.
The award testifies to Aram’s work in further developing animation media across the African continent while using experimental methods and concepts in her work to tell a unique story.
Aram received her award from a juried committee of professionals from Disney, Netflix, and Nickelodeon.
The Black in Animation Awards state “The Cultural Innovator Award is given to the person who has centered the voices of black people in animation in an innovative way as a content creator or influencer.”
Born in Casablanca and raised in France, Aram studied oriental languages at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris before joining ShoPro Entertainment, a company specializing in Japanese animation-based in San Francisco.
The animation specialist founded the Mounia Aram Company in 2019, a distribution and production company specializing in animation and African culture. Aram has accumulated nearly 20 years of experience in the animation field.
Her work also consists of advising companies in their distribution and development strategies across the African continent as well as mentoring young African talents in animation.
In 2020, Aram was elected a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in charge of the Emmy Awards. She also joined the Geena Davis Institute last year as Africa council chair.
The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development announced the winners of the 16th Sawiris Cultural Award.
This Edition is considered the largest in the history of the award in terms of the number of submitted works.
A total of 1263 literary works were submitted to various fields of the award.
This year, 12 young and established writers received awards for their distinguished work in the fields including novel, short story, screenplay, playwriting, and literary criticism.
Dr. Iman Yahya won the best novel award – under the established writers’ contest – for her novel ‘Al-Zawga Al-Mexicia’ (The Mexican Wife), published by Dar Al-Shorouk.
Meanwhile, the award for best short story collection, written by an established writer, went to Samir El-Fil for his collection ‘Autobis 77’ (Bus Line 77) that was published by the Egyptian General Book Authority.
The award for best novel written by a young writer went to Ahmed Al-Fakharany for his novel ‘Bayasat Al-Shawam’ published by Dar Al-Ain. The same novel also won the translation award, which was added to the award’s branches this year in an attempt to encourage contemporary literary excellence and introduce creative young writers to readers outside the borders of the Arab region.
As for second-place in the young writers’ novel contest, the award went to Ahmed Al-Morsi for his novel ‘What Remains of the Sun’ published by Dar Al-Bashir.
The first-place prize for best short story collection made by a young writer went to Gilan Al-Shamsi for her short story collection ‘As if the story is missing’ published by Al-Ain Publishing House.
In second-place, Muhammad Faraj won with his short story collection ‘Long Term Plans’ published by Dar Al-Ain.
Regarding the best screenplay award, established writer Samar Taher won for her screenplay of the movie ‘Al-Nazeel’ (The Inmate), while Paula Tadros Thabet won the young writers’ contest for his screenplay of ‘Abdullah’.
In the field of playwriting, the first-place award went to Faisal Rizk for his play ‘Hakawy Al-Aragouz’ (Tales of the puppet), while second-place went to Mina Bebbawy for his play ‘Bernatanya’.
As for the award for best submitted work in the field of literary criticism, it was awarded ex aequo to Sameh Fayez for his book ‘Stories about Reading’ published by the Egyptian-Lebanese House and to Professor Abdel-Nasser Hilal for his book ‘The Visual Turn – from Text to Speech” published by the Egyptian General Book Authority.
In order to encourage young writers, financial rewards are also granted for the shortlisted nominated work.
Granted in the novel contest: ‘Random Arrangements’ by Dunya Kamal Al-Qalash, ‘Ahmar Larang’ (Blood Oranges) by Charles Akl, and ‘Camelia’s Ghosts’ By Nora Naji.
With regard to the short story collection, the grants went to: ‘Sleep Thieves’ by Amjad Al-Sabban, ‘Visions of the Holy City’ by Omaima Subhy, and ‘A Report on Al-Refaeia’ by Muhammad Al-Fuly.
In the screenplay category: ‘The Ghazala who fled the schoolyard’ by Ahmed Ihab Abdel-Warith, ‘Where Did Shaker Abaza Go?’ by Mahmoud Hassan Abdel-Alim, ‘Hamlet’ by Al-Sayed Abdel-Nabi, ‘Kilo 35’ by Mahmoud Ahmed Abd-Rahman.
The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) member countries have unanimously chosen the UAE to head the Permanent Committee for Arab Culture.
Salma Al Darmaki, Secretary-General of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, has been appointed to chair the Permanent Committee.
The decision comes after the 22nd edition of the Conference of Arab Culture Ministers, held in December 2021 at Expo 2020 Dubai. Al Darmaki is the second woman appointed to this position in ALECSO’s history.
The Permanent Committee for Arab Culture is responsible for coordinating the work of various ALECSO member states in cultural fields. The Standing Committee is also mandated to prepare for the Conference of Arab Ministers of Culture.
Al Darmaki has been an Assistant Under-Secretary for Knowledge and Cultural Policy at the Ministry of Culture and Youth since 2018. She has served as a Research Fellow at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development from 2017 to 2018. She was a researcher at the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the United Nations in Switzerland from 2016 to 2017; an expert on Social Policy in the General Secretariat of the Executive Council in Abu Dhabi from 2011 and 2016, and a parliamentary researcher in the General Secretariat of the Federal National Council from 2009-2010. She also worked for the Abu Dhabi Government Restructuring Committee in 2008.
Al Darmaki holds a post-graduate degree in International Law from the University of London, a Master’s in Human Rights from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Zayed University in the UAE.
As Secretary-General of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Al Darmaki managed the campaign for securing a seat for the UAE on the UNESCO Executive Board from 2019 to 2023. She played a crucial role in the first decision submitted by the UAE to the Executive Council of UNESCO on “A Framework for Arts and Culture Education” and the passing of a resolution on the “Building on the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development through Consolidated Action”. Some of her other achievements include the declaration of World Futures Day by UNESCO as an annual international day after being proposed by the UAE. The UAE secured a seat in the intergovernmental committee of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Al Darmaki has been working with the national authorities to further the cause of cultural, educational and scientific endeavours, such as extending the registration of the falconry file for the fourth time in the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to become the largest file in the history of the organisation. She also manages the UAE partnership with UNESCO in the pioneering “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative. In addition to supporting the nomination of Abu Dhabi as a Creative City for Music, she has helped make Abu Dhabi the third Emirate to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network along with Dubai and Sharjah.
Morocco has been continuously creating opportunities for women to integrate many fields and take the lead in positions that were once designed only for men.
Moroccan women are now represented in all fields, from sports and arts to politics and economics.
Indeed, the list is very long of inspiring, canonized Moroccan women whose bravery and infectious passion for social change remain central to the country’s history. For now, however, let’s just revel in the New Year spirit and celebrate the power of women in Morocco by looking back on the achievements of female Moroccan changemakers who made headlines in 2021.
Women in politics
This year, Moroccan politics welcomed seven new ministers in the Aziz Akhannouch government, making a third of the government’s representatives.
Nadia Fellah Alaoui, who is now the Minister of Economy and Finance, was the first woman to be appointed as the Minister of Tourism in the previous, Saadeddine El Othmani-led government.
Minister Delegate Ghita Mezzour has made a name for herself through her active engagement in Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.
Other women at the forefront of government include: Fatima Zahra Ammor as Minister of Tourism and Handicraft, Fatima-Zahra Mansouri as Minister of Housing, Aouatif Hayar as Minister of Women, Family, and Social Integration, and Leila Benali as Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development.
Nabila Rmili, who stepped down from her new position as Minister of Heath a few days after her appointment, retains her role as the first female mayor of Casablanca. Meanwhile, Asmaa Rhlalou, a journalist and the former deputy of the National Rally of Independents party (RNI) in the House of Representatives, and Fatima-Zahra Mansouri are the mayors of Rabat and Marrakech, respectively.
Moroccan women in science
Two Moroccan scientists and researchers at Mohammed V University, Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli and Farida Fassi, have made it to the list of top 50 scientists worldwide according to the international 2021 AD Scientific Index. They hold 33rd and 38th place respectively.
El Moursli, a professor of nuclear physics, holds the highest-ranking in Morocco, Africa, and the Arab League, while Fassi, a professor of physics at the Faculty of Sciences, follows closely in second-ranking across the regions.
In 2015, El Moursli received the L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science for her contribution to proving the existence of the Higgs Boson. She is the first Moroccan woman to receive the prestigious award.
Professor Fassi contributed to the research of High Energy Physics, as well as to the Worldwide Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Computing Grid, which sets out to solve the problem of data storage for the LHC.
Moroccan women as global influencers
Sanae Lahlou was selected as a Young Global Leader in 2021 by The World Economic Forum (WEF).
She is now the director of consulting firm Mazars’ Africa Business Unit in Morocco. Lahlou works to connect African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and creative start-ups by expanding their growth opportunities and transforming them into African and global champions.
Another Moroccan to make the headlines for her activism and commitment to provide girls around the globe with proper education is Iman Hammam.
Super Model Hammam was the first to receive the She’s the First (STF) inaugural Powerhouse of the Year Award. She is also the ambassador of STF, an organization that sponsors girls’ education in developing nations.
First Moroccan woman as General Manager of Microsoft Morocco
In November 2021, Salima Amira was appointed General Manager of Microsoft Morocco.
With 17 years of experience as a leader in competitive environments, such as Inwi and IBM, Amira firmly established herself in a field historically dominated by men when she became the first woman to hold the position of General Manager of Microsoft Morocco. The Casablanca subsidiary was founded in 1993.
Amira graduated from the Mohammadia School of Engineers in 2003 and from the Ecole des Ponts ParisTech in 2010.
Moroccans as Most Powerful Businesswomen in the MENA region
In February 2021, Forbes magazine featured four Moroccan women in the Middle East’s Power Businesswomen 2021 list.
Nezha Hayat was the first Moroccan to appear on the list, ranking eighth in the list of 50. Hayat is the CEO of Morocco’s Capital Market Authority and the president of the Africa Middle East Regional Committee at the International Organization of Securities Commissions.
The founder and CEO of AKSAL Group, Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch ranked 19th. Married to the current Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, Salwa is an accomplished businesswoman. Her company is engaged in social community work and implemented a social project to support cultural, educational, and health projects across Morocco.
Rita Maria Zniber, the chairman and CEO of Diana Holding, occupied the 33rd rank. With over 50 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Zniber’s company scope mainly includes agriculture, olive growing, poultry farming, trade, and distribution.
She is also the founder of the Rita Zniber Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports abandoned children in Morocco.
The 36th ranking went to Miriem Bensalah Chaqroun, the director of Holmarcom Group and the CEO of Oulmes, the largest mineral water company in Morocco. In 2019, the Moroccan businesswoman was appointed by the United Nations’ Secretary-General to join the Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) alliance.
Women in cinema and arts
The Moroccan artist Meriem Bennani was the first Moroccan in the history of the Paris Fashion Week to assume the artistic direction of the fashion show.
Bennani decorated the show space and operated the Miu Miu livestream through displaying artwork and a series of artistic interventions starring her own mother and highlighting a fine line between virtual and real life.
Born in 1988 in Morocco, Bennani attended Cooper Union College in New York where she studied visual arts.
During the lockdown last year, Bennani teamed up with documentary filmmaker Orian Barki to animate a series of videos posted on Instagram titled “2 Lizards.”
In September 2021, Morocco hosted the first female-only organized Short Film Festival in Marrakech. The event was co-organized by Moroccan artist Ramia Beladel and French national Thais Martin.
In her work, Beladel illustrates subjects of everyday life in a multi-layered way. Her aim is to make the viewer imagine and interpret her artwork without being hindered by the historical reality.
In another film accolade, in October 2021, Moroccan actress Sandia Tajeddine won the Best Actress award at the 2021 Jordan International Film Festival.
Born in 1994, the actress began her career in theater at seven years old in school plays and camps. She graduated from the Rabat-based Higher Institute of Dramatic Art and Cultural Activities in 2017 and has since played challenging roles in many films and series, such as “Banat El Assas,” “The Punch,” and “Yacout W Anbar.”
These are just a few examples of Moroccan women who made the headlines this year.
source/content: moroccoworldnews.com
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Significant Achievements by Moroccan Women in 202 / pix; moroccoworldnews.com
Natasha Karam (aka) Natacha Karam. Film Actress. Hollywood Actress.
Born in Saudi Arabia to a Lebanese father and a Northern Irish mother, actress Natacha Karam is making a name for herself in Hollywood as a character on “9-1-1 Lone Star,” the latest series created by multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winning writer Ryan Murphy.
Born in Jeddah, Karam grew up between Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Dubai, where she began acting.
After moving to Los Angeles, her television career kicked off with small acting stints on “Homeland” and “Silent Witness,” before she was cast as Sergeant Jasmine “Jaz” Khan in the military action drama series “The Brave,” which ran for one season.
The 27-year-old acts alongside the likes of “Lord of the Rings” actress Liv Tyler and “Aladdin” star Mena Massoud, who plays her fiancé.
source/content: arabnews.com
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The drama follows the heroics and personal lives of firefighters and other emergency responders. (AFP) / arabnews.com
The findings are shifting scientists’ research on early human civilizations to the North African region.
Morocco has been at the center of several recent discoveries that have made headlines, both locally and internationally. The discoveries allowed archeologists to uncover some of the most fascinating secrets of ancient civilizations. Below are 6 of the most recent Moroccan discoveries.
Oldest rock carving in North Africa
Research professors at Moroccan and Spanish universities discovered rock engravings dating back to the Paleolithic age, which was roughly 2.5 million years ago, at the Camel Cave in the province of Berkane.
According to the Department of Culture of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Communication, the engravings are about 12,000 years old, corresponding to the last ice age, which also affected Morocco’s northern region.
The national discovery was part of a scientific agreement between the National Institute of Archeology and Cultural Heritage (INSAP) and the Mohammed I University of Oujda on a collaboration project regarding the prehistoric human communities in the Orient.
Old Macaque Fossil
A team of scientists from Moroccan and Spanish universities discovered a macaque fossil in Guefait, a town in the province of Jerada, in the eastern region of Morocco.
According to the Catalonian news outlet Catalan Diari Mes, the fossils, which date back to about 2.5 million years, are assigned to the genus Macaca, a gregarious Old-World monkey of the subfamily Cercopithecinae.
The species is estimated to have lived for 6 or 7 million years and their remains are commonly found in North Africa, but can also be found in Europe, where they migrated due to the Messinian Salinity Crisis over 5.5 million years ago.
Prehistoric community in the Anti-Atlas
The debitage stone, discovered at the rock site Imaoun, located in Southern Morocco, indicates the existence of a possible prehistoric community.
Levallois lithic material, which represents a sophisticated way of shaping stone tools in prehistoric times, was discovered in the region as a result of excavations carried out there between 2017 and 2018.
As stated in the digital platform for interdisciplinary research on the Canary Islands, Almogaren, the community would have lived about twenty kilometers northeast of the Akka oasis in the Anti-Atlas.
Ancient Marine Lizard
Archeologists in Morocco discovered a new species of Mosasaur, a marine lizard with shark-like cutting teeth, which lived about 72 to 66 million years ago.
Based on two complete skulls and referred jaws, scientists were able to reconstruct the species and reveal some of the unique characteristics.
According to a scientific paper in the Cretaceous Research journal, the marine species measured eight meters in length, unlike most of its relatives, which were unable to grow more than a few meters. It also had “elongate and robust jaws, small teeth, and specialized tooth implantation.”
New artifact suggests Morocco as origin of human culture
Research on ancient jewelry recovered from the Bizmoune cave in the South West of Morocco indicates the ornaments may represent the earliest evidence of advanced human culture.
There have been 33 shell beads recovered, dating back to over 142,000 years, which would place them in the late Middle Pleistocene period, the same geologic time period as the earliest documented emergence of humanity.
An academic paper published by Science Advances stated that the artifacts are considered the first sign of “symbolic behavior” by early Homo sapiens.
Unique dinosaur fossil
Scientists discovered a dinosaur fossil with “bizarre” spikes dating back to about 168 million years ago in Morocco’s Boulahfa in the Middle Atlas Mountains.
The fossil belongs to an Ankylosaurus, a type of herbivore species of dinosaurs that are known for their “ebony armpit that once covered their backs,” according to the Natural History Museum.
The new discovery represents a significant milestone because it is the first time a fossil of this type has been discovered in Africa.
The 40-minute New Year display broke the records for volume, duration and form, and featured a drone show.
Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Festival officially broke three Guinness World Records during its New Year celebrations.
Taking place in Al Wathba, the impressive fireworks show lasted for 40 minutes, and broke the records for volume, duration and form.
As well as the fireworks, there was a dazzling drone show made up of 2,022 unmanned aircraft. The drones formed the faces of UAE leaders, including Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, President Sheikh Khalifa , and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed , Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
The drones also formed the shapes of UAE skyscrapers, planet Earth, the festival’s logo and the words, “Happy New Year 2022.”
source/content: thenationalnews.com
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New Year’s Eve 2021 drone display at Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Ras Al Khaimah ushers in New Year with record-breaking firework drones flying at 1,055.8 meters high (over 1KM) and 452 firework drones simultaneously launching a breathtakingly choreographed ‘Happy New Year’ message in the sky
Spectacular #RAKNYE 2022 fireworks show sets two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles, mesmerising thousands of visitors
12-minute show with over 15,000 firework effects pays glorious tribute to the nation as it marks its 50th anniversary
The dazzling show marked a moment for people to reunite, with visitors arriving to Ras Al Khaimah from across the world to celebrate the New Year
Two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles set for the ‘Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously’ and ‘Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Firework Display’
Welcoming hundreds of thousands of spectators from around the world, the Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve Celebrations (#RAKNYE 2022) dazzled all with a never-before-seen fireworks display that smashed two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles.
Rising majestically from the Arabian Gulf, the fireworks display featured innovative pyrotechnic drone performances, over 15,000 effects, spanning an area of over 4.7 kilometres. The 12-minute spectacle was specially choreographed to reflect the joy of reunion with six themes set to epic orchestral music.
A Six-Act Show of Wonders
#RAKNYE 2020 fireworks display was conducted in a six-act sequence starting with the countdown just before midnight setting the stage for an ephemeral theatre of wonder. Ushering in the New Year with a spectacular tower of lights at a height of 1,055.8 metres (over 1 km) taller than any building in the world. This was followed by the ‘Happy New Year’ message written in the sky with firework drones, the sequence lit up the arena in multiple hues. These two sequences broke two new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ for Ras Al Khaimah.
Record-breaking feats
Setting the first GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the ‘Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Fireworks Display’ was the tower of fireworks 1,055.8 metres high, taller than any skyscraper in the world.
The second GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title was for the ‘Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously’, when 452 drones launched fireworks simultaneously to create the ‘Happy New Year’ visual in the sky.
More than 5,000 hours of work went into preparing for the show that also deployed over 130 sea pontoons and a fleet of hundreds of pyrotechnic drones.
A community event like no other
Many others followed the celebration live on raknye.com.
Ras Al Khaimah had welcomed 2021 with a dazzling 10-minute fireworks show that underlined the UAE’s message of hope, peace and achievements. Ras Al Khaimah also made history with the New Year’s Eve Gala of 2020, which broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles for the ‘Most remote operated Multirotors/drones launching fireworks simultaneously’ and the ‘Longest Firework Waterfall.’ The Emirate secured two GUINNESS ORLD RECORDS™ titles for the ‘Longest chain of fireworks’ and the ‘Longest straight-line fireworks display’ with the 2019 New Year’s Eve Fireworks.
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture aka Ithra, presented more than 7,000 programs and won five local and international awards this year.
Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors, the organization said.
In addition, about 4,000 male and female volunteers participated in the center’s local, regional and international events and activities, contributing 13,000 hours of work.
Ithra won five local and international awards in the past 12 months, including the 2021 Cultural Institutes Award in the private sector track by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.
Ithra was also recognized with three prestigious accolades from MarCom, one of the largest and most respected creative competitions in the world. Among 6,000 entries, Ithra achieved platinum in the ‘Team Achievement’ and ‘Pro Bono’ categories, and gold in the ‘Social Content’ category for its efforts on World Book Day.
The center was also recognized locally by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development with numerous awards, including the first volunteer unit to implement the national volunteering standard, the first center to introduce volunteering in the private sector, and a Gold “Mowaamah” certification, for the accessible ecosystem that the center provides to support those with special needs, in accordance with their required standards and needs.
Ithra’s annual flagship creativity festival, held under the theme Tools — Crafting Creativity, Tanween 2021 attracted more than 25,000 visitors over the course of three weeks.
The festival featured international and local experts in 30 talks, 10 masterclasses, 7 workshops and 4 big experiences. One of the main features of Tanween was the Smartphone Orchestra, which sorted the public based on the data they provided themselves in this interactive and immersive activity. Another highlight featured mass drone swarms that interacted with the audience in one of the largest co-created drone/human light paintings ever made.
Currently on display at the first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, Ithra Art Prize-winner Nadia Kaabi-Linke’s piece underlines the new Pan-Arab direction of the prize. This is the first year one of the most significant art prizes in the region is open to regional artists, while simultaneously representing a homecoming for the award which was presented at Art Dubai for its first three editions. Consisting of 19 canvasses nearly 20 meters long together, E Pluribus Unum – A Modern Fossil is described as a metaphor for modern times.
Ithra also cemented its reputation as a leading Saudi film producer with roadshows at the 74th Cannes International Film Festival and at the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Kingdom’s first international film fair. Produced under the Ithra Film Productions banner, celebrated Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy’s Sea of Sands and Saudi award-winning independent filmmaker Khalid Fahad’s Valley Road are both scheduled for release in 2023. The feature-length documentary film Anti-Cinema, meanwhile, is currently in post-production and is expected to hit the international film festival circuit shortly. Winner of the Ithra Content Commission Initiative, Ali Saeed and Hassan Saeed’s film brings Saudi Arabia’s film history to the big screen.
source/content: arabnews.com
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Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors. (Shutterstock) / pix: arabnews.com
