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Riyadh to Host 4th Gulf Film Festival in April

The logo of the Saudi Film Commission
The logo of the Saudi Film Commission
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Riyadh to Host 4th Gulf Film Festival in April

The logo of the Saudi Film Commission
The logo of the Saudi Film Commission

The city of Riyadh will host the fourth annual Gulf Film Festival (GFF) under the patronage of Saudi Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Film Commission Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud.

The festival, which is organized by the Film Commission in cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) General Secretariat, will be held over five days, from April 14 to 18.

The festival serves a dual purpose: supporting the regional film industry and fostering artistic exchange on a global scale. The ultimate aim is to cultivate a thriving Gulf film industry that empowers local talent, celebrates Gulf values, and strengthens cultural identity.

The GFF will not only showcase a competitive selection of 29 films from all GCC countries, but also honor veteran actors for their contributions to Gulf cinema. Additionally, the festival offers a platform for learning and development through three training workshops and six educational seminars focused on fostering artistic dialogue and raising awareness of cinema's social impact.

Filmmakers will vie for prestigious awards across various filmmaking categories, including short films, feature films, screenplays, soundtracks, and acting. These awards serve as a testament to the Film Commission's dedication to nurturing Gulf cinematic talent and propelling the region's film industry forward.

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Culture

UN Puts 4th Century Gaza Monastery on Endangered Site List

The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
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UN Puts 4th Century Gaza Monastery on Endangered Site List

The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File
The Saint Hilarion complex dates back to the fourth century. Mahmud HAMS / AFP/File

The Saint Hilarion complex, one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, has been put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in danger due to the war in Gaza, the body said Friday.
UNESCO said the site, which dates back to the fourth century, had been put on the endangered list at the demand of Palestinian authorities and cited the "imminent threats" it faced.
"It's the only recourse to protect the site from destruction in the current context," Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, told AFP, referring to the war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
In December, the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict decided to grant "provisional enhanced protection" -- the highest level of immunity established by the 1954 Hague Convention -- to the site.
UNESCO had then said it was "already concerned about the state of conservation of sites, before October 7, due to the lack of adequate policies to protect heritage and culture" in Gaza.
The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 39,175 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.