Saudi Arabia Marks Its Strongest, Most Prominent Participation at Cannes Film Festival

The Saudi pavilion succeeded in confirming the position of Saudi Arabia as an incubator for the Arab film industry during the 74th edition if Cannes Film Festival. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi pavilion succeeded in confirming the position of Saudi Arabia as an incubator for the Arab film industry during the 74th edition if Cannes Film Festival. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia Marks Its Strongest, Most Prominent Participation at Cannes Film Festival

The Saudi pavilion succeeded in confirming the position of Saudi Arabia as an incubator for the Arab film industry during the 74th edition if Cannes Film Festival. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi pavilion succeeded in confirming the position of Saudi Arabia as an incubator for the Arab film industry during the 74th edition if Cannes Film Festival. Asharq Al-Awsat

As the Cannes Film Festival wraps up its 74th edition on Saturday, many of those following the international event turned their attention to Saudi Arabia, which participated actively and remarkably.

Saudi Arabia participated in the Cannes Film Festival through an integrated Saudi pavilion, with wide participation from a number of government agencies, and the private sector.

The activities were organized upon the directions of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Abdelaziz, as part of his continuous support for the Kingdom’s cultural sector.

While Saudi Arabia had taken part in the 71st edition, this year was different.

The public sector played a role alongside the private sector, and participated at an unprecedented scale, with the participation of the Film Commission, Ministry of Investment, Royal Commission for AlUla, Red Sea International Film Festival, the MBC channel group, Ithraa, NEOM Company, Nebras Films, Cinewaves films, and Arabian Pictures Group, in addition to a group of filmmakers and other Saudi institutions.

During the festival, the Saudi pavilion also acted as a platform for open dialogue among Saudi and Arab filmmakers and investors with their international counterparts.

The Saudi pavilion succeeded in confirming the position of Saudi Arabia as an incubator for the Arab film industry, and a significant and influential market in the Middle East, where aspirations of investors from around the world meet.



Hundreds of Animals Killed in Dallas Shopping Center Fire

A pedistrian walks across a rain soaked street in Dallas, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
A pedistrian walks across a rain soaked street in Dallas, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
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Hundreds of Animals Killed in Dallas Shopping Center Fire

A pedistrian walks across a rain soaked street in Dallas, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
A pedistrian walks across a rain soaked street in Dallas, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A fire that broke out at a shopping center in Dallas on Friday morning killed more than 500 animals, most of which were small birds, authorities said.
The 579 animals in the pet shop at Plaza Latina in Northwest Dallas died from smoke inhalation, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said in a statement.
The flames from the fire never reached the animals. Chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats also died, The Associated Press quoted Evans as saying.
The two-alarm fire took about two hours and as many as 45 firefighters to extinguish around 11 a.m., Evans said.
“While DFR personnel did search and attempt rescue, all animals in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation,” Evans said.
No people were injured in the fire. The structure of the large, one-story shopping center was severely damaged, including a partially collapsed roof, Evans said.
The shopping center includes multiple small businesses and was described on its Facebook page as "a place where people can go to eat, and buy all sorts of Latin goods and services.” A post on the page in Spanish asked for prayers for the families who work there.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined and is under investigation, Evans said.