The Saudi film ‘Norah,’ the country’s first-ever entry into the Cannes Film Festival, was shown to international viewers for the first time on Thursday at the 77th edition of the festival.
The movie was featured in Cannes’ respected Un Certain Regard, or “a particular glance,” section. This marks an important milestone for Saudi Arabia’s quickly expanding film industry since the 35-year ban on cinemas was lifted in 2017.
“Norah,” a drama directed by Tawfik al-Zaidi and set in the 1990s, had its local debut at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah last December.
The film follows an illiterate, orphaned young woman living in a secluded Saudi village. She faces an arranged marriage, feels confined, and seeks a way to express herself. Rising Saudi actress Maria Bahrawi portrays Norah, who meets an artist named Nader, played by Saudi actor Yaqoub al-Farhan. Nader, having abandoned painting, has moved to the village to work as a schoolteacher.
Their encounter ignites Norah’s passion for art during a time of strict conservatism in the country when all forms of art and painting were forbidden.
“Norah” is the first Saudi film to be filmed in the ancient city of AlUla and won the top prize in the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw Film Competition.
At least 40 percent of the film’s crew were Saudi citizens, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The Ministry of Culture initiated this project in September 2019 to support Saudi film production and nurture the next generation of filmmakers.
The film, which has secured international distribution, is set to debut in Saudi and international theaters on June 20, 2024.
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