The Saudi film "Noura" was screened during the 77th Cannes Film Festival on Thursday, with the presence of its actors. It is the first Saudi film to participate in the official competitions at the festival, competing in the "Un Certain Regard" section. The screening was attended by Jumana Al-Rashed, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Red Sea International Film Festival, and Muhammad Al-Turki, CEO of the institution, along with a large number of Saudi and Arab filmmakers.
Director Tawfiq Al-Zaydi expressed his gratitude to the Cannes Film Festival administration for the opportunity to present a Saudi story to the audience of the 77th edition before the screening of "Noura," which received a warm round of applause. The film's showing attracted a large audience, with tickets selling out just hours after they were made available. It is scheduled to be screened again on May 24 and 25, providing a greater chance for the audience to watch it.
"Noura" is the first Saudi feature film shot entirely in the Al-Ula region, a unique area known for its natural beauty and enchanting heritage. Last December, during the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, it won the "Al-Ula Film Award for Best Saudi Film," aimed at celebrating talent and filmmakers in the kingdom, supporting the local film industry, and raising awareness of Al-Ula as a cinematic destination and hub for creative talent.
It also won the first prize in the Dhow Film Competition, organized by the Film Commission, a initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture in September 2019 to support the production of Saudi films.
The plot of "Noura" takes place in a remote village in Saudi Arabia during the 1990s, where "Noura" spends most of her time away from the village world. A new teacher, "Nader," arrives in the village and meets her; she is a courageous young woman who inspires him and awakens his passion for art. In return, he offers her a broader world of possibilities outside the village, and she realizes that she must leave her world after discovering that "Nader" is not just a new teacher in the village, but someone who can help her find a place to achieve her dreams.
The film stars Yaqub Al-Farhan, Maria Bukhrawi, and Abdullah Al-Sadhan, and is written and directed by Tawfiq Al-Zaydi. The film's screenplay previously won an award from the Light Film Competition organized by the Saudi Film Commission, an initiative launched by the Saudi Ministry of Culture to support and encourage the next generation of Saudi filmmakers.
