Saudi Film 'Hajjan' Wins Triple Prize at Gulf Cinema Festival Awards

Saudi film ‘Hajjan’, directed by acclaimed Egyptian-Austrian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky, won in all the categories in which it was nominated at the Gulf Cinema Festival Awards, claiming a hat trick of prizes for Best Feature, Best Actor and Best Cinematography. Funded and produced by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), the film was shot in Tabuk in the northwest of the Kingdom with a cast of entirely Saudi actors.

‘Hajjan’ is a coming of age story heavily imbued with Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage and identity, following young Matter - played by Omar Alatawi, winner of Best Actor - as he overcomes tragedy in the vast expanses of the desert, finding solace in camel racing.

Saudi’s Ithra is fast becoming a powerhouse of regional filmmaking, nurturing home-grown talents and encouraging growth in the local film industry. Since 2018, Ithra has produced 23 films, showcasing them at 72 film festivals around the world. With the Gulf Cinema Festival Awards now over, eyes are on the nominations for the upcoming 10th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, beginning on May 2nd.