ALULA-Film Al Ula, the film commission of AlUla, the historic city of Saudi Arabia, continues to attract many international and regional films and television productions. Film Al Ula was a huge success while filming the American movie “Cherry”.

The film is the debut Hollywood film by two world-famous directors Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame) shot outside in Saudi Arabia. Alula. The “Cherry” scene was shot at several locations in Al Ula, shot in the capital Riyadh in collaboration with Saudi Aramco.

Saudi Arabia has been visited by numerous  film and television production companies.They have been seeking filming across the country since the Kingdom began issuing tourist visas around the world. A historic and unique place for large unexploited places.

Another Hollywood producer recently signed a joint contract with Film AlUla to shoot in the state, and some of Hollywood’s most famous stars have directed, produced and starred. In addition to increasing overseas productions.

Film Al Ula continues to support and develop domestic productions. Among the many local projects announced, we are supporting the shooting of two Saudi films. It’s about Muhammad Al-Atawi’s film competition “Bayn Al-Rimal” (between the sand) and Daw’ (Light).

Film Al Ula, a division of the Al Ula Royal Commission, funds both films and provides and coordinates all requests for films on Al Ula. The Film Council was made up of 11 cultural committees in February, chaired by the Minister of Culture.

The Commission is responsible for developing and supporting the Kingdom film sector and encouraging individuals, organizations, and businesses to create and develop content. To attract international filmmakers, Film Al Ula’s management relies on the governor’s appeal to rank the film as one of the best locations in the world.

It embodies the Kingdom’s vision of leading the creative industry, making Alura an international destination for content and film, and building a film infrastructure in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Film AlUla offers a range of services that attract many filmmakers around the world.

This includes a group of film professionals founded at AlUla to promote international filmmaking and build an ecosystem suitable for filmmaking. It handles the issuance of crew visas, provides ground and air transport and accommodation between Riad and Alura, issues permits, and facilitates the import and export of photographs and other equipment.

Other production equipment, information and relationships to help production staff, etc. In addition to its heritage and cultural abundance dating from more than 200,000 years of human history and civilization to the next 7,000 years, Al Ula boasts a unique terrain that spans over 22,500 km of fascinating valleys, with rocky sand and black. Volcanoes coexist. Wonderful rocks and strange rocks created by wind and water over millions of years.

Towns with government towns, farms, historic buildings and modern buildings and hotel infrastructure offer filmmakers many options. Film Al Ula to work with government agencies to support and promote regional filmmaking, based on the commitment of the Royal Commission to help Saudi Arabia achieve Vision 2030 and strengthen the national talent of the film industry. do my best.

Through a strategic partnership, the Film Council and the Al Ula Film Administration are sustainable by attracting national investment, government sector, international and regional films, television shows and Al Ula documentaries to film in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

We aim to create and develop a new movie sector. We are developing local and regional businesses that are useful to the film industry. It complements the recruitment and training of local talent, creates employment opportunities in the film sector, and establishes an industry value chain throughout the region as part of the film ecosystem.

The US-based Research and Markets study said that the growth compares with just $23.77 million in 2020.

“The Saudi entertainment industry of is growing massively. Saudi Arabia has been putting its best effort to build a unique and world-class entertainment hub that includes innovative rides, cultural or historical attractions, and mega sporting events,” the report said.

The government has played a leading role in the change, establishing the General Authority for Entertainment (GAE) in 2016.

One of the biggest entertainment investments in the Kingdom is the Qiddiya project. Announced in 2017, work at the site — located just a 40-minute drive from the capital — began in April the following year.

The city — which will cover more than 366 square kilometers of land — will host a Formula One racing track, a Six Flags theme park, a water park, sports facilities including football stadiums and development infrastructure for young Saudi athletes, and an extensive range of cultural, creative and artistic activities.

Work started in January on the design for Falcon’s Flight, the record-breaking roller coaster set to be the flagship attraction at the theme park, which is scheduled to open in 2023 and will feature 28 rides and attractions across six themed lands.

In February, golf legend Jack Nicklaus also announced that he was designing a course at Qiddiya, marking his first golf design project in the Kingdom.

“Qiddiya, a giga-project whose vision stems from the overarching Saudi Vision 2030, is destined to become the capital of Entertainment, Sports and the Arts,” Phillipe Gas, CEO of Qiddiya, told Arab News.

“It will be a disruptive destination recognized on the world stage as the home of the most innovative and immersive experiences, integrated on a scale never been seen before. It will be a celebration of life – a place where families, friends and couples spend quality time together and create unforgettable memories.

While events, cinemas and other attractions were closed as part of anti-coronavirus restrictions during the pandemic, May 18 saw the return of many entertainment businesses, with some limitations and social distancing policies in place.

Last month, GAE chairman Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al-Sheikh announced the results of the “Ideas for Entertainment” initiative. From the more than 12,000 proposals submitted to the project, the top 20 ideas were selected.

The top submission was “The Grove,” which is described as “a rich experience encompassing an array of activities such as theatrical and musical performances, hiking expeditions and more.”

Entertainment is a key element of the cultural goals set out as part of Vision 2030, which aims to increase household expenditure in the sector from 2.9 percent to 6 percent by the end of the decade.

https://saudiexpatriate.com/entertainment-concept-changing-saudi-arabia/

Live Shows will be banned these three days during the New year 2021 in restaurants & Cafes in the kingdom.

Ban on Live Shows in Restaurants

In a circular which was sent to all the License holders for Live shows in Restaurants & Cafes from the Authorities.

Any violations found will be strictly dealt with who violates the regulations issued by the authorities.

List of Banned Live Shows in Restaurants & Cafe during New Year 2021 Celebrations:

• Concerts
• Song Shows
• Stand-up Comedy Shows

General Entertainment Authority has directed all the license holders of Live Shows and also reminded about the expiry of Licenses will be on 30th Dec.

All the license holders will need to submit requests a re-issue of licenses after the ban gets expired on 2nd Jan 2021.

It is also instructed that such restaurants and cafes shall be registered with the electronic services gate of the authority.

The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has issued special health protocols for live show performances at restaurants and cafes. According to the protocols, solo performance will be allowed to stage at a designated place and there will be two-meters distance between the performer and the audience.

The performers shall wear masks throughout the live show. These protocols are applicable to live shows at recreational centers and fun cities also, the authority said in its statement.

The fountain gets illuminated in night and reaches up to 1024 ft and is visible throughout the vicinity of Jeddah.

500 spotlights are used to illuminate the fountain which makes it a main attraction in Jeddah. It is located in South corniche with plenty of parking.

Tallest Fountain in the World: King Fahd Fountain

People usually come here with their family & kids to spend some good time here.

A view of Red Sea with Majestic water fall from the King Fahd fountain makes it fantastically wide spread due to Sea breeze.

This looks great at night and is really a grat place to relax or have an evening walk during the sunset.

The fountain itself is just a fountain with lights, far away from the corniche which is very popular (and probably the best) viewing point.
The falling mist looks good when the sun goes down behind the fountain and sky is still a bit reddish until the dark comes.

Sabrin Burshaid was just 34 years of age was found to have three brain tumors and was hospitalized in Germany as per the sources.

She was diagnosed with Lymphoma. It is a type of cancer that starts in the white blood cells or lymphocytes

Sabrin Burshaid’s father Ahmed Burshid confirmed her death on Monday.

She had worked in many TV programs starting from “Summer of Bahrain”, “Zain’s Flashlight”, “Lovers After Divorce”, “Agenda” and “I have a script”.

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She was really a superstar and media world is missing her.

Cinemas Halls and Shopping Malls will be kept open during Eid holiday as said by Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH).

SCTH presents this activity as “Eid Season” which is a part of Saudi Seasons program launched for the first time in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This program is launched to infuse happiness to the Eid feast at the level of the individual, family, district and society.

Among the malls participating in the Eid Season activities and programs Kingdomwide are Al-Qasr, Gharnatah, and Riyadh Park malls, and Kingdom Center, apart from Red Sea Mall in Jeddah and Dareen Mall in Dammam.

As to the movie theatres, they include AMC Theatres in King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and Fox Cinemas in the malls having movie theaters.

Among these initiatives, is the 24/7 work schedule in malls to enable the public to enjoy shopping, eating and drinking in restaurants and cafes, and going to the movies at the cinema theatres so that people can spend time with their family and friends in the kingdom.

But if you’re going to visit one of them, you have to be ready to get acquainted with certain customs. In this article, we will try to cover the wedding traditions of Saudi Arabia.

The mode and style of life of people living in Saudi Arabia are completely different from the European way of life. This has undoubtedly taken its toll on such an important event as a wedding celebration. Marriage is an enchanting event in this country. It is luxurious and picturesque, with its own specific characteristics. The East can fascinate and surprise.

Wedding Traditions in Saudi Arabia

Shawfa

Wedding preparations start here. During this event, the groom’s parents meet up with the bride’s ones to discuss the proposal. The word “Shawfa” basically means seeing each other. Once the young man and woman see each other, they let their families know if they’re ready for the wedding. If both families manage to find a common language, they arrange a few more meetings. Religious families prefer to skip this wedding tradition. Both sides keep arranging new meetings until all the concerns regarding the future ceremony are discussed. After that, the couple can begin preparing for the celebration.

Milkah or signing a marriage contract

This official event is crucial for the wedding and precedes the ceremony. However, only the closest relatives are usually present at it. In fact, it’s not the newlyweds who play the main role here. During Milkah, the groom’s and the bride’s fathers sign the marriage contract in the presence of two witnesses from each side. Once the groom and bride confirm that they’re ready to start a relationship, the Mimlik (the government-approved marriage agent would be the best definition of the term) recites a couple of verses from the Holy Quran and tells the couple about how important marriage is. Then he prays for a happy, strong, and long-lasting relationship for the newlyweds.

Saudi Arabian Wedding Traditions

Ghumra

After the contract is taken care of, it’s time for partying. Before the ceremony itself, the bride’s friends arrange a traditional henna party. During it, they apply beautiful henna tattoos on the future wife’s hands, wrists, and feet. After that, all other women present at the party draw henna patterns on their hands as well. Typically, it’s professional henna artists who apply the tattoos. After all, a wedding is a special occasion, so everything must look perfect.

The ceremony

The first thing that catches the eye is the celebration itself which is held on the basis of gender. To be more precise, the groom, friends of the groom, relatives, and indeed all male guests celebrate in one place, while the bride with her friends and female guests – in another.

Tables in both halls are full of food. At times, a family can spend several hundred thousand dollars for such events. Alcohol is under a very strict prohibition, but the traditional Arabic coffee turns the merry-go-round. As a rule, the main dish at any event in Saudi Arabia, including weddings, is Kabsa – a dish of lamb and rice, a bit like pilaf.

The groom’s feast with the guests, in a sense, resembles a bachelor party but without alcohol, which does not affect either the appetite or the mood of the guests. What wedding goes without dancing? After the guests have eaten enough, dancers and musicians come to the hall to perform traditional Bedouin dance with sabers. During this spectacular performance, the dancers, without breaking a sweat, wiggle from side to side while holding sabers at the ready.

In the bride’s hall, it’s much more interesting. The decoration of the hall is a way more elegant than in the hall for men. The bride herself looks more than great on this momentous day, changing at least five outfits for the evening, each of which would be an envy of any European woman of fashion, thus showing the generosity and prosperity of her future spouse because the entire financial side of the event rests on the groom’s shoulders.

Since there are no men in the female room, ladies have the right to throw off black coverlets and flaunt in cocktail dresses, showing weighty gold jewelry, which is inherent in all women in the world. The presence of a singer, any singer (at the discretion of the bride), even if it’s Madonna, is obligatory.

The evening ends with the groom entering the hall with the best man, and, after a brief speech from the stage, he takes the bride by the hand and leaves the hall with her in anticipation of the wedding night.

Perhaps, some of the traditions above are rather new to the European population. This is just the side effect of cultural differences which vary tremendously. Never be too blunt whey judging other peoples by their customs because they are deeply engraved into centuries.

Saudi Film festival is Brought to you by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in partnership with Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts Dammam.

Indian Filmstar (Bollywood Superstar) Salman Khan will visit ithra on 24 March 2019

Salman Khan offers a masterclass in the cinematic arts with an in-depth talk about his three-decade-long career in the film industry, sharing anecdotes and lessons learned, by a true entertainer, with Film Festival attendees.

Raya Abirachid who is Arab World’s leading television personas, presenter, producer and celebrity will aslo be a part in this event.