Saudi Arabia’s Alhamour H.A aims for success at the Oscars
Director Abdulelah Alqurashi is promoting his film in London and Los Angeles.
Saudi Arabia has been breaking new ground. It has hosted blockbuster events and experiences, and is now aiming to bring to make its mark in the movies. Director Abdulelah Alqurashi is hoping that his film Alhamour H.A is shortlisted for Hollywood’s most prestigious event, the 96th Academy Awards.
Abdulelah is currently in Los Angeles promoting Alhamour H.A. He will also be travelling to London for a special screening. Plus, it is the first film from Saudi Arabia to be released commercially in Egypt, which boasts the Middle East’s biggest film industry.
Alhamour H.A is a black comedy, and is based on a true story. Set in Jeddah, it follows the security guard Hamed, and the choices that he makes to turn to crime. On his way, he cons people into investing in a Ponzi scheme and makes billions for himself.
Saudi Arabia has had previous success at the Oscars. In 2012, Haifaa al-Mansour’s feature debut, Wadjda, was an international success. The film told the story of a 10-year-old girl who wants a bicycle, and it went onto win in the foreign language category.
Saudi Arabia reopened cinemas in 2018. Since then, the industry has grown from the Red Sea Fund, which supports emerging talent, to the Red Sea International Film Festival, which welcomes A-listers from across the world. The Kingdom has also become a filming location, which has attracted Bollywood and Hollywood. AlUla welcomed Jeremy Irons for The Cello, and Gerard Butler for Kandahar, and Neom welcomed Shah Rukh Khan for Dunki.
Alhamour H.A is streaming on Netflix on 21 December.
GO: Visit www.netflix.com for more information.
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