During its field tour of the festival, which was hosted by King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah from December 2 to 4, Al-Youm observed the emergence of a promising Saudi cinematic generation that possesses the tools of the industry with high professionalism.
18 Saudi universities
The festival witnessed a wide artistic movement with the participation of more than 170 cinematic works, presented by male and female students representing 18 Saudi universities, making it the largest and richest student gathering of its kind in the Kingdom so far.
Dr. Maysoun Al-Sabaei, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University, affirmed that the festival served as a national platform nurturing creativity, showcasing a diverse range of works from fiction and documentary to animation, culminating in innovative experiments employing artificial intelligence technologies.
Accompanying the film screenings was an art exhibition titled "From Imagination to Screen," where students presented their filmmaking journeys, with a notable focus on social issues, youth challenges, and details of cultural identity inspired by the Year of Crafts and the spirit of Saudi cities.
exceptional attendance
The female students made an exceptional showing at this year's event, winning a significant number of awards. This reflects the growing role of Saudi women in this sector and their acquisition of the skills and knowledge that qualify them to compete and represent the Kingdom on the global stage.
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University distinguished itself in the animation category, with its graduation project, "A Briefcase," winning the Best Film award. This suspenseful film tells the story of a young man who discovers that his briefcase is being piloted by aliens who are taking him on a journey over the skies of Riyadh.
Walaa Sindi, the supervisor of graduation projects at Princess Nourah University, explained that the winning film was created by graduates of the filmmaking program: Rawad Khalid, Manar Al-Zahrani, Lina Al-Qudairi, and Dana Al-Omran. They presented a visual experience that blends narrative imagination with local identity.
Jeddah Student Film Festival
In the short film category, "Wing Seven," by King Abdulaziz University graduate Sawsan Al-Quraie, won the Best Film award. The film boldly explores the psychological complexities of multiple personality disorder through a visual approach that allows viewers to see the world through the eyes of the patient.
Al-Quraie described her experience as challenging, being her first foray into writing, directing, and producing. She noted that passion was the driving force behind transforming the metaphorical idea into a cinematic image that resonated with the audience.
The participating works reflected a significant leap in cinematic awareness among students, both in their use of modern techniques and in the depth of their subject matter. This bodes well for the future of the Saudi film industry and its potential to provide it with academically and professionally qualified talent.
