Today, Tuesday, November 18, the film Against Cinema directed by Ali Saeed will have its world premiere as part of the Arab Horizons Competition at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival. The screening will take place at 6:00 PM on the Small Theatre stage at the Cairo Opera House.
Against Cinema is a 118-minute documentary produced in Saudi Arabia, presented in Arabic. The film compellingly chronicles the birth and evolution of Saudi cinema from within, following the generation of ’80s children who loved cinema despite the absence of movie theaters at the time and faced the challenges of a socio-cultural environment that opposed this art form. The film also explores the cinematic life in Saudi Arabia before 1979, investigating the beginnings of screenings and early production attempts through testimonies of Saudi cinema pioneers in a five-year research journey.
Ali Saeed, a Saudi director and writer, has created several internationally acclaimed works including Green Lemon, Compass, and Antidote. His short narrative film Old Phone Number was selected as the opening film at the Saudi Film Festival in 2022 and won Best Arab Film at the 2023 Bahrain International Film Festival, as well as the Jury Prize at the 2022 Jerusalem Film Festival in Gaza.
About Cairo International Film Festival
Cairo International Film Festival is one of the oldest film festivals in the Arab world and Africa and one of the most prominent international festivals accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). Established in 1976, it is held annually under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture. The festival strives in each edition to blend artistic and professional aspects, making it a key platform for intercultural dialogue and enhancing the international presence of Arab cinem
