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Saudi Arabia’s Film AlUla Continues to Attract More Int’l, Local Productions

Film AlUla provides a package of services that attract many filmmakers from around the world.
Film AlUla provides a package of services that attract many filmmakers from around the world.
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Saudi Arabia’s Film AlUla Continues to Attract More Int’l, Local Productions

Film AlUla provides a package of services that attract many filmmakers from around the world.
Film AlUla provides a package of services that attract many filmmakers from around the world.

Film AlUla, the film commission located in Saudi Arabia’s northwestern governorate of AlUla, is continuing to attract more international and local movie and television productions.

Film AlUla had tremendous success filming scenes of the American movie, “Cherry”, which was the first Hollywood movie by two world-class directors, Anthony and Joe Russo (Avengers: Endgame) to shoot scenes in Saudi Arabia and the debut accomplishment for Film Alula. The scenes for “Cherry” were shot in the capital, Riyadh, in cooperation with Saudi Aramco, as well as multiple locations in AlUla.

Since Saudi Arabia started issuing tourist visas around the world, it has been visited by movie and television production companies that are exploring shooting in AlUla and all throughout the country. With incredible untapped locations, it is a unique and historic location to film.

Recently, another Hollywood production signed a joint agreement with Film AlUla to shoot in the province that is to be directed, produced and starring some of the brightest Hollywood stars. In additional to the increase of international productions, Film AlUla continues to support and build local productions.

Amongst the many local projects to announce, it will support the filming of two Saudi films, namely “Bayn Al-Rimal” (Between the Sand) by Muhammad Al-Atawi and “Noura” by Tawfiq Al-Zaidi, which won Daw' (Light) Film Competition. Film AlUla, a department of the Royal Commission for AlUla, will finance the two films, and provide and coordinate all the filming requirements in AlUla.

The Film Commission was established within 11 cultural commissions in February 2020 and whose Board of Directors is chaired by the Minister of Culture. It is responsible for developing and supporting the film sector in the Kingdom and encouraging individuals, institutions and companies to produce and develop content, among other responsibilities.

To attract international filmmakers, the administration of Film AlUla counts on the governorate’s attraction sites that position it among the best filming locations in the world. This is to implement their vision of leading the creative industries in the Kingdom, establish AlUla as international filming and content destination, and create a film infrastructure in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Film AlUla provides a package of services that attract many filmmakers from around the world. This includes an already established team of film experts in AlUla to help facilitate the production of international films and building a suitable ecosystem for filmmaking. It handles the issuing of film crew visas, securing ground and air transportation and accommodations between Riyadh and AlUla, granting permits, facilitating the import and export of camera equipment and other production equipment, the information and relationships to help crew productions, and so much more.

In addition to its heritage and cultural depth dating back to more than 200,000 years of human history and 7,000 years of successive civilizations, AlUla has a unique diversity of terrains extending over more than 22,500 km of charming valleys, in which sandstones coexist with black volcanic rocks and amazing rock formations created by wind and water over millions of years. The governorate’s villages, farms, and cities with their old and modern buildings and hotel infrastructures offer a variety of options for filmmakers.

Film AlUla works to support and stimulate local film productions, in partnership with government agencies, based on the Royal Commission’s endeavor to contribute to the realization of Saudi Vision 2030 and empower national talents in the film industry.

Through their strategic partnership, the Film Commission and Film AlUla administration seek to create and develop a sustainable film sector in northwestern Saudi Arabia by facilitating internal investment, attracting international and regional films, television shows and documentaries for filming in AlUla, as well as developing local and regional businesses to serve the film sector. This is in addition to employing and training local talents, creating job opportunities in the film sector, and establishing an industrial value chain throughout the area as part of the filmmaking ecosystem.

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Javier Bardem on Gaza: ‘We Cannot Remain Indifferent’ in Call for Hostage Release and Ceasefire

Javier Bardem appears at the 94th Academy Awards nominees luncheon in Los Angeles on March 7, 2022. (AP)
Javier Bardem appears at the 94th Academy Awards nominees luncheon in Los Angeles on March 7, 2022. (AP)
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Javier Bardem on Gaza: ‘We Cannot Remain Indifferent’ in Call for Hostage Release and Ceasefire

Javier Bardem appears at the 94th Academy Awards nominees luncheon in Los Angeles on March 7, 2022. (AP)
Javier Bardem appears at the 94th Academy Awards nominees luncheon in Los Angeles on March 7, 2022. (AP)

Javier Bardem was no longer comfortable being silent on Gaza.

The Spanish actor spoke out about the Israeli-Hamas conflict upon accepting an award at the San Sebastian Film Festival last week. In his nuanced remarks, Bardem condemned the Hamas attacks as well as the "massive punishment that the Palestinian population is enduring."

He called for immediate ceasefire, Hamas’ release of hostages and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Hamas leaders — some of whom are now dead — who ordered the Oct. 7 attacks to be judged by the International Criminal Court.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Bardem explained why he chose to speak out.

"I believe that we can and must help bring peace. If we take a different approach, then we will get different results," Bardem told the AP, speaking prior to Iran’s attack on Israel Tuesday. "The security and prosperity of Israel and the health and future of a free Palestine will only be possible through a culture of peace, coexistence and respect."

Israel’s offensive has already killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and destroyed much of the impoverished territory. Palestinian fighters are still holding some 110 hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack that started the war, in which they killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Around a third of the 110 are already dead, according to Israeli authorities.

The war has drawn sharp divisions in Hollywood over the past year, where public support of Israel or Palestine has provoked backlash and bullying, with accusations of antisemitism and Islamophobia, and cost people jobs. Even silence has had its consequences. The #blockout2024 movement pressured celebrities who hadn’t said anything — or enough — to take a stand.

"Why now?" Bardem said. "Because to continue to stall negotiations and return to the previous status quo, as they say, or as we are seeing now, embark on a race to further violations of international law would be to perpetuate the war and eventually lead us off a cliff."

Bardem stressed that while antisemitism and Islamophobia are real and serious problems in the US, Europe and beyond, that the terms are being used to divert attention away from the "legitimate right to criticize the actions of the Israeli government and of Hamas.

"We’re witnessing crimes against human rights, crimes under international law, such as, for example, the banning of food, water, medicines, electricity, using, as UNICEF says, war against children and the trauma that’s being created for generations," Bardem said. "We cannot remain indifferent to that."

The Oscar-winner, who was born in the Canary Islands, has spoken up on global issues before, signing an open letter calling for peace during a 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas. He's also an environmental advocate, and spoke to the UN in 2019 about protecting the oceans.

"My mother educated me on the importance of treating all human beings equally, regardless of skin color, ethnicity, religion, nationality, socio and economic status, ability or sexuality," Bardem said. "Actions inform us and that alone interests me about people. That's why I have always been concerned about discrimination of any kind. That includes antisemitism and Islamophobia."

Bardem is married to Penélope Cruz, with whom he shares two children.

He said that beyond a fear that the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is in danger, he has seen the effects of the conflict up close and the promise of a different approach. Two of his close friends, one Israeli, one Palestinian, both lost daughters to violence years ago and have bonded together in their shared pain and desire to help create positive change.

Those fathers, Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan, are members of a nonprofit organization called The Parents Circle Families Forum that emphasizes reconciliation. They wrote a letter that Bardem shared: "What happened to us is like nuclear energy. You can use it for more destruction. Or you can use it to bring light. Losing your daughter is painful in both situations. But we love our life. We want to exist. So we use this pain to support change. To build bridges, not to dig graves."

Bardem added: "That’s what it should be about: Building bridges, not digging graves. That’s why it’s urgent and important."