​

Shabads

4:00am - 5:00am
Email
Listen Live Sunrise Gold

    Search

    Film on extremism wins at Saudi festival.

    Wednesday, 5 April 2017 17:24

    Departures follows a conversation on a plane between a suicide bomber and terminally ill man.

    A short film that tackles extremism has won the top prize at the Saudi Film Festival, organisers said on Sunday, in an ultra-conservative kingdom that continues to ban public cinemas. Departures, directed by Abdulaziz al-Shalahei, won the golden palm award at the fourth edition of the festival, which featured 58 homegrown films including 12 directed by women.

    "The festival is growing as the level of films is improving," its director Ahmed al-Mulla said, adding that several contenders this year addressed extremism. Departures features a conversation on a plane between an extremist thinking of blowing himself up and a terminally ill man who is tempted to commit suicide. Saudi-based Syrian actor Mohammed al-Qass, who plays the role of the sick man, also won the prize for best actor. The festival, which concluded late Saturday, included four competitions for fiction films, documentaries, student productions, and unproduced scripts.

    The festival was held in a large marquee in Dhahran, in Eastern Province, as public cinemas do not exist in the Islamic kingdom. "We hope that we will have cinemas soon," Mulla said.

    Share

    More from Showbiz & Media

    Comments

    Add a comment

    Log in to the club to add your comment.

    Listener Club

    Get more with the Listener Club!

    • Remix Saturdays Remix Saturdays

      Every Saturday evening we turn to remixes of hit songs to get you in the Saturday night party mood! Every Saturday between 5pm - 8pm

    • Alim OnAir Alim OnAir

      Have you a question about the religious, cultural or tradition aspect of Islam? Then join Hazrat Maulana Fazal Dad in the weekly show every Friday between 8-9pm.

    • Legal Show Legal Show

      Once a fortnight we dedicate a show to discussing legal issues and family / matrimonial law in particular. Alternate Friday mornings between 9am-11pm.

    • The Golden Era The Golden Era

      The golden era of Bollywood celebrated in this weekly show full of classics taking you back in time. Every Sunday between 5pm - 7pm