Saudi Arabia has landed its first film in the Cannes Film Festival official selection with “Norah,” a drama by pioneering director Tawfik Alzaidi set in 1990s Saudi, according to reports.
“Norah” will be launching internationally from Cannes’ prestigious Un Certain Regard section, according to Variety, “marking the first Saudi film to screen in Cannes and becoming a symbol of the kingdom’s rapidly growing moviemaking ambitions since Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year-old religion-related ban on cinema in 2017.”
The Un Certain Regard section, established in 1978, runs in parallel to the festival’s long-running Palme d’Or competition and aims to recognize emerging talent and non-traditional narratives.
The film premiered locally in December at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah.
“Norah” was the first Saudi film to be shot in AlUla, and won the top prize of a funding award from the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw Film Competition, an initiative launched by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture in September 2019 to support Saudi film production and champion the next generation of filmmakers.
