Business & Money | Sunday 22 February, 2015 7:38 am |

Curtains went up in the second Saudi Film Festival in Dammam Friday, a four-day event organized by the Dammam Arts and Cultural Society.
During the opening ceremony, Sultan Al-Bazei, chairman of the society’s board of directors, stressed that Saudi films have made a strong presence at Arab and international festivals thanks to several awards which included films by Abdullah Al-Mohaisen and Hayfa Al-Mansour’s Wadjda.

The festival’s organizer, Ahmed Al-Mulla, pointed out that 104 films have been registered on their website over the past 30 days. As part of the event, a training workshop has been set with 140 participants.
According to Al-Mulla, the festival is a pioneering personal artistic effort which will also be useful as a tool for dialogue with other cultures.
The society launched a national program to develop the Kingdom’s film industry in partnership with King Abdul Aziz World Cultural Center, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco. Considered a first phase in a long-term project, the program includes workshops on the film industry, while the second phase will start by the middle of the year.

Al-Bazie stressed that films are a quick medium to deliver a message to the viewers. He urged all sectors of society including establishments, individuals and intellectuals to support the industry. According to the society’s chairman, universities should develop the necessary curricula and open departments to study film and drama, so that Saudi Arabia has a fitting position at the stage of the international theater of cultural dialogue.
During the event, film director Ebrahim Alkazi was honored, with Salman Alkazi receiving the prize on his behalf. He was also awarded the Golden Palm prize and a book on the history of the arts industry in India.

Opening the festival, Fima Bayn, directed by Muhammad Salman, impressed the audience with the story of a youth confused by decisions, identity and obedience.
About 66 films will be played from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. for four days at the society’s headquarters.