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'Saudi the Superhero'…Unordinary Film Competes for Septimius Awards

Bader al-Balawi with Saud al-Hazani while shooting the documentary. (Photo by the director).
Bader al-Balawi with Saud al-Hazani while shooting the documentary. (Photo by the director).
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'Saudi the Superhero'…Unordinary Film Competes for Septimius Awards

Bader al-Balawi with Saud al-Hazani while shooting the documentary. (Photo by the director).
Bader al-Balawi with Saud al-Hazani while shooting the documentary. (Photo by the director).

Saudi films have made a remarkable attendance in many international cinema events, among which was “Saudi the Superhero” by Director Bader al-Balawi, which is competing in the long documentaries category at the Septimius Festival, in Amsterdam. The winners are expected to be announced in a ceremony on September 26.

Speaking about his film to “Asharq Al-Awsat”, al-Balawi said it revolves around a Saudi man named Saud al-Hazani, and the challenges he faces in his unfamiliar work in a novelty performative art that always prompts him to introduce himself as a “character maker”. In English, his work is known as “Cosplay”, in which participants wear the costumes of characters from anime, manga, and comics productions.

“I am a curiosity-driven person and I love documentaries; their way of narrating stories urges the audience to seek a better search method,” he said, noting that the accelerated social shifts the Saudi community is witnessing have caught his attention, especially the individuals led by their passion without minding the views of their entourage.

“I liked people’s reaction to Saud al-Hazani. Most of them felt astonished by his unfamiliar clothes and practice of a new performative art in several countries,” he said. “From here, I felt I have to know how this man started his journey. I watched him in a TV interview, and noticed that many don’t understand the concept of his work, which made me go forward with my idea,” he added.

This long documentary is al-Balawi’s first work, which he likens to “a risky journey”. Bader collected data for the production from scratch, and signed up for a specialized cinema course on narration in documentaries. He believes he was lucky because “shooting the documentary coincided with the accelerating social shifts in the kingdom, which gave the story an extra dimension and helped document an important period in the country.”

About his “Superhero” philosophy, he said: “Heroism is not only overcoming hardships, it’s persistence and chasing a clear goal,” noting that the main character wasn’t confrontational, and accepted all the hurtful reactions and comments. “Saud keeps up with his society, and focuses on his work, and this why I saw him as a hero for persisting and overcoming the obstacles without complaining or playing the victim.”

Al-Balawi embarked on his journey in 2016, and started shooting the documentary in 2019, which premiered in the 9th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, last May. About his participation in the Septimius Festival, he said his documentary is competing on a global level in the long documentaries category, and the qualification of his first film for an award at such an event is a significant leap.

The organizing committee of the Septimius Festival already announced that the Saudi film “The Journey” has won the Best Experimental Film award. Produced by the Manga Company, of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (MISK).

“The Journey” is the first Saudi and Arabic film to win such an award at an international festival. The Septimius Festival, which screens Grammy and Oscar-winning films, provides full support for the high-quality productions with inspiring and insightful views.

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Entertainment

New Minions Film Heads to 1920s Hollywood in Franchise Refresh

Chris Meledandri, Zoey Deutch, Pierre Coffin, Jeff Bridges, Allison Janney, Bobby Moynihan, and Jesse Eisenberg attend the "Minions & Monsters" premiere in Los Angeles, California, US, June 28, 2026. (Reuters)
Chris Meledandri, Zoey Deutch, Pierre Coffin, Jeff Bridges, Allison Janney, Bobby Moynihan, and Jesse Eisenberg attend the "Minions & Monsters" premiere in Los Angeles, California, US, June 28, 2026. (Reuters)
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New Minions Film Heads to 1920s Hollywood in Franchise Refresh

Chris Meledandri, Zoey Deutch, Pierre Coffin, Jeff Bridges, Allison Janney, Bobby Moynihan, and Jesse Eisenberg attend the "Minions & Monsters" premiere in Los Angeles, California, US, June 28, 2026. (Reuters)
Chris Meledandri, Zoey Deutch, Pierre Coffin, Jeff Bridges, Allison Janney, Bobby Moynihan, and Jesse Eisenberg attend the "Minions & Monsters" premiere in Los Angeles, California, US, June 28, 2026. (Reuters)

Illumination's latest Minions film is going back to 1920s Hollywood, a departure that French animator Pierre Coffin hopes will freshen a long-running animated franchise that has grown into one of Universal's biggest film, theme-park and merchandising brands.

When Illumination animation studio CEO Chris Meledandri pitched the animated prequel comedy “Minions & Monsters,” Coffin immediately looked for ways to expand the story.

"It was just me trying to make everything more interesting to me because I didn't want to do another 'Minions' movie," Coffin told Reuters.

The initial concept for the film, which debuts in theaters on Wednesday, featured the fictional yellow, pill-shaped creatures — the ‌Minions — embarking on ‌a search for monster masters.

But Coffin saw an opportunity to ‌add ⁠a more distinctive setting.

"I ⁠came up with the idea of, like, 'Oh, wouldn't it be cool to have it happen in the '20s in Hollywood, in the '20s, because that would give them a great backdrop,'" Coffin recalled.

The combination of Meledandri's producing vision and Coffin's creative input ultimately led to "Minions & Monsters" being set in 1920, 48 years before the events depicted in the 2015 film "Minions."

The Minions franchise grew out of the successful 2010 animated film "Despicable Me," which went on to ⁠spawn three sequels and three spinoff prequels, all distributed by Universal.

Beyond ‌the screen, the franchise has also inspired Minion-themed rides, ‌dining experiences, merchandise and meet-and-greets at Minion Land in Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Los ‌Angeles.

Daniel Loria, senior vice president of content strategy and editorial director at Boxoffice ‌Pro, forecasts the full five-day opening weekend will generate between $80 million and $95 million at the box office, making it the top film of the weekend.

In "Minions & Monsters," the story follows the Minions as their search for a monster master evolves into an unexpected venture — making a monster movie of their ‌own in Old Hollywood.

The film's voice cast includes Coffin as the Minions alongside Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch ⁠and Bobby Moynihan.

Eisenberg ⁠said that although the film is aimed at younger audiences, it offers something for viewers of all ages.

"My kid was laughing at all the kid things, but then I found myself just really admiring the old film references," Eisenberg said.

For Deutch, the enduring appeal of the Minions lies in their universal charm — their mix of cuteness, humor and oddness, combined with their unique language known as Minionese.

While she acknowledged not speaking the language herself, Deutch said she admires content creators who have mastered it. Also nicknamed Banana language, Minionese incorporates words and phrases from real-world languages.

"You see some of these influencers who sing in Minionese," Deutch said.

"There's one girl who I am dying to meet. She is a genius. She put together a dictionary of this, she can speak it, and she's so funny. She puts videos together and sings," Deutch added.

Entertainment

Star-Maker Clive Davis Honored at Funeral That Draws Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick and Others

A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)
A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)
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Star-Maker Clive Davis Honored at Funeral That Draws Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick and Others

A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)
A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)

Kenny G played a mournful sax solo to kick off the funeral Monday for music legend Clive Davis, as pop royalty turned out to honor a man who championed so many of their careers.

Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Ja Rule and Stevie Wonder were among of the other musical stars at the memorial service. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Adrien Brody, Hoda Kotb and Gayle King were among the other notables.

Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl said Davis would have been thrilled by the turnout. “Clive would have loved this,” she said.

The service was closed to the public but was livestreamed from Central Synagogue in Manhattan.

Davis, a record company lawyer who rose to become one of music’s most influential figures, launched the careers of numerous stars, including Whitney Houston, Springsteen, Keys and Kenny G, and influenced others such as Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead.

He died June 22 in his Manhattan apartment at the age of 94, a few weeks after he was hospitalized for an upper respiratory issue.

Buchdahl asked what song Davis most admired that was not something he had a hand in and was told “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” written by composer Harold Arlen and lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg in 1938 for the film “The Wizard of Oz.” Buchdahl then sang a soaring version. “You have a home at Sony Music Classics,” joked Rob Stringer, the CEO of Sony Music Entertainment.

Warwick told a story about how Davis urged her to work with Manilow in the late 1970s, which she initially resisted. But Davis’ suggestion was fruitful: Their partnership, the album “Dionne,” went platinum and earned two Grammy Awards.

Manilow recalled Davis urging him to record the rock song “Brandy,” written by Scott English and Richard Kerr. Manilow turned it into a love song and played it for Davis. “Just do that,” Davis told him. They renamed it “Mandy.” It went to No. 1. “He believed in me from the very beginning,” Manilow said.

For more than 50 years, Davis convened a gala attended by some of the biggest names in music the night before the Grammy Awards.

At this year's gala, former President Barack Obama praised Davis. While many record execs saw their influence wane as they grew older, Davis' seemed to grow. He breathed new life into the careers of established artists such as Aretha Franklin and Santana, and helped launch Keys and several early “American Idol” winners' careers, including Kelly Clarkson's.

He is survived by his four children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Entertainment

In Blow to DC Studios, 'Supergirl' is No Match for 'Toy Story 5' at Box Office

A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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In Blow to DC Studios, 'Supergirl' is No Match for 'Toy Story 5' at Box Office

A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In a setback for Warner Bros.′ revamped DC movie operations, “Supergirl” was absolutely no match for “Toy Story 5” at the box office, opening a distant second to the Pixar blockbuster.

After a near-record debut for an animated movie, “Toy Story 5” remained No. 1 at the box office with $70 million in domestic ticket sales and another $89.1 million overseas, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Walt Disney Co. release has in two weeks quickly amassed $585 million globally, making it one of the biggest hits of the year.

“Supergirl,” however, failed to lift off. It opened with $38 million in US and Canadian theaters. It added $30 million in overseas markets.

Craig Gillespie’s superhero spinoff is the second big-screen release from James Gunn and Peter Safran, who were tapped to lead DC Studios in late 2022. Their first release, 2025’s “Superman,” grossed $618 million worldwide, a strong-enough start for Gunn and Safran.

But “Supergirl” flopped with both critics and moviegoers. Reportedly trimmed significantly after test screenings, Gillespie’s film landed poor reviews (56% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a “B-” CinemaScore from audiences.

The poor opening weekend for “Supergirl” puts it behind the disappointing debuts of DC busts like “The Flash” ($55 million in 2023) and “The Green Lantern” ($53 million in 2011), and only barely ahead of “Joker: Folie à Deux” ($37.7 million in 2024).

David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe, noted superhero movies no longer drive the box office like they did pre-pandemic. There are fewer yearly releases, and the box office in the genre is down approximately $3.5 billion annually from its highs in 2017-2019.

After huge successes like “Wonder Woman” ($822 million in 2017) and “Captain Marvel” ($1.13 billion in 2019), female-fronted superhero movies have also taken a downturn.

“You’ll hear general explanations like ‘the audience lost interest.’ Yes, they did,” The Associated Press quoted Gross as saying. “But no one has been able to explain why it happened so suddenly and so completely. Why female superheroes in particular, after their sensational starts? We don’t understand it either.”

The stumble for “Supergirl,” which cost $170 million to make, comes as Warner Bros. Discovery, the film studio’s parent company, is preparing to be acquired by Paramount Skydance. David Ellison, Paramount chief executive, recently met with Gunn and Safran.

The next DC release is “Clayface,” a body horror take on the DC character, to be released in October. Gunn’s “Superman” follow-up, “Man of Tomorrow,” is currently in production. It’s dated for July 2027.

Gunn, who serves as a producer on “Supergirl,” handed directing duties to Gillespie, the filmmaker of “I, Tonya” and “Cruella.” Milly Alcock, who briefly appeared in “Superman,” stars as Supergirl, or Lara Zor-El, a younger cousin to Superman who’s more of a party girl than a world saver.

Paramount Pictures’ “Jackass: Best and Last” was the weekend’s other new wide release. The latest stunt compilation from Johnny Knoxville and company opened with a modest $8.4 million from 2,855 North American theaters. While that’s a good result for a movie that cost just $10 million to make, the 2022 installment, “Jackass Forever,” debuted with $23 million before ultimately grossing $80 million worldwide.

Olivia Wilde’s dinner party comedy “The Invite” notched one of the best per-screen averages of the year. Opening on seven screens in New York and Los Angeles, it debuted with $379,104, good for a per-screen average of $54,158.

Wilde’s third film as director stars herself, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton as a pair of San Francisco couples who meet for an impromptu night together. A24 acquired the film after its buzzy Sundance Film Festival premiere. The indie distributor is hoping “The Invite,” which will expand next week and go nationwide on July 10, can revive the largely dormant summer comedy.

The micro-budget horror phenomenon “Obsession” continued to hold unusually strong. It took third place on the weekend with $9.8 million in its seventh weekend of release. Curry Barker’s film, made for less than $1 million, has now collected $233.9 million domestically for Focus Features, plus $108.9 million internationally.

Such legs, however, haven’t materialized for Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller “Disclosure Day.” In the Universal Pictures’ third weekend of release, it slipped to fifth place with $8.1 million in domestic theaters. Spielberg's UFO tale has grossed $193.7 million globally in three weeks.