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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

Brad Pitt Says Working with Dog Co-star Was 'Really Moving'

Brad Pitt arrives at the 74th edition of the San Sebastián Film Festival in San Sebastian, northern Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Brad Pitt arrives at the 74th edition of the San Sebastián Film Festival in San Sebastian, northern Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
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Brad Pitt Says Working with Dog Co-star Was 'Really Moving'

Brad Pitt arrives at the 74th edition of the San Sebastián Film Festival in San Sebastian, northern Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Brad Pitt arrives at the 74th edition of the San Sebastián Film Festival in San Sebastian, northern Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Hollywood star Brad Pitt said on Wednesday that co-starring with a dog in his latest film, survival thriller "Heart of the Beast,” was "a really moving experience.”

Directed by David Ayer, the film explores the deep bond between a military officer and his combat dog, Odin, who survive an air crash and become trapped in the wilderness of Alaska.

Four dogs, all from the same family, were used to portray Odin, but the bulk of the performance was delivered by a German shepherd named Uber.

"I did have a really moving experience with Uber who plays Odin, who our dog whisperer found in New Zealand, and we bonded quickly," Pitt told a news conference at Spain's San Sebastian Film Festival, where the movie is screening out of competition.

"There were times he would do things that were just amazing, that were not in the script that you see in the film, and his expressions, they really moved me with him in the close-up," the 62-year-old Oscar winner added, according to AFP.

San Sebastian, the highest-profile film festival in the Spanish-speaking world, wraps up on Saturday.

A total of 17 films are vying for the top awards in the official section, with a jury presided over by US director Ira Sachs.

Entertainment

Dolly Parton's Estate Granted Temporary Restraining Order against Singer's Nephew

Tourists pass a portrait of the late Dolly Parton outside RCA Studio A, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. where Parton recorded "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" during a 1973 recording session. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tourists pass a portrait of the late Dolly Parton outside RCA Studio A, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. where Parton recorded "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" during a 1973 recording session. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
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Dolly Parton's Estate Granted Temporary Restraining Order against Singer's Nephew

Tourists pass a portrait of the late Dolly Parton outside RCA Studio A, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. where Parton recorded "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" during a 1973 recording session. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Tourists pass a portrait of the late Dolly Parton outside RCA Studio A, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. where Parton recorded "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" during a 1973 recording session. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

A Tennessee judge granted Dolly Parton’s estate a temporary restraining order Wednesday against the late singer’s nephew Bryan Seaver and his private security company.

She’s Alive, the entity founded to manage and protect Parton’s estate, had filed the complaint against Seaver and Squadron Augmented Protection Services a day prior. The estate accused Seaver of threatening to commit violence and destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire in court filings, The Associated Press said.

The order says the court took into account the repeated threats cited in the complaint, as well as the alleged demands for payment and Seaver’s “claimed access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate.” It describes the communications as “concerning,” specifically noting the threat to use force.

As part of the order, Seaver and his company SAPS, which provided Parton’s security detail, must refrain from entering any She’s Alive property or talking with or being within 1,000 feet (305 meters) of She’s Alive employees and business partners. The order is also meant to keep Seaver from interfering with its business relationships.

A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 7.

Seaver, who was handpicked by the star to announce her death from cancer last month, did not respond to an email Wednesday from The Associated Press requesting comment on the order being granted.

Representatives for SAPS also did not respond, and no one was present at their office in downtown Nashville on Wednesday afternoon. No one came to the door at an address listed in court documents for Seaver in the semi-rural Nashville suburb of Fairview. A woman speaking to a reporter through a doorbell camera declined to comment.

In the temporary restraining order request filed by She’s Alive and other court documents, Seaver is accused of sending increasingly threatening messages over the last several weeks. She’s Alive is run by Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager.

Last week, She’s Alive terminated Seaver and SAPS, saying his “terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable,” according to court documents.

The court documents showcase a series of messages She's Alive says were sent by Seaver, starting just before Parton's death. They start with threats to destroy Parton's brand, and then after her death, depict Seaver reveling in his newfound fame and calling himself an “international arms dealer.”

In one message written Sept. 1 and included in the court documents, he said: “I’m going to set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us. It’s going to be great. Or f——— pay me.”

Seaver also claimed that he worked for private military contractors overseas during the Iraq War and used that experience as part of these threats, according to the complaint.

The messages have resulted in Parton’s trusts and estates attorney leaving and employees of She’s Alive resigning, according to the court documents. The entity has also had to hire private security for its employees, including at their homes, the documents state.

Kristin Mumford, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, said in an email that there are no reports against Seaver in their system.

Parton was a beloved country music icon who wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that earned a total of more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.

Entertainment

Movie Review: In ‘Primetime,’ a Sinister Shift in Media, with a Dazzling Robert Pattinson

This image released by A24 shows Tony Revolori, left, and Robert Pattinson in a scene from "Primetime." (A24 via AP)
This image released by A24 shows Tony Revolori, left, and Robert Pattinson in a scene from "Primetime." (A24 via AP)
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Movie Review: In ‘Primetime,’ a Sinister Shift in Media, with a Dazzling Robert Pattinson

This image released by A24 shows Tony Revolori, left, and Robert Pattinson in a scene from "Primetime." (A24 via AP)
This image released by A24 shows Tony Revolori, left, and Robert Pattinson in a scene from "Primetime." (A24 via AP)

Buzzing with the sound of dial-up internet and the hum of grainy VHS tape, Lance Oppenheim’s “Primetime,” about Chris Hansen and his Dateline NBC series “To Catch a Predator,” identifies a seedy moment when media became the new arbiter of communal justice.

In “Primetime,” Hansen, as played with malicious precision by Robert Pattinson, is an ambitious TV journalist who scores big ratings by luring child predators out in front of his network TV cameras. But, more than that, he’s a new breed of media power — less a real person than a sleek assemblage of pixels who can, with a damning voiceover and a good close-up, seal a sad soul’s fate for videotape eternity.

In the opening scene of “Primetime,” Hansen has cornered a Long Beach, California, man who’s arrived to meet someone he thinks is a 13-year-old girl. Hansen strides into frame and asks the cowering man what his fate should be. “The electric chair?” he guiltily replies. No, Hansen says. “Dateline NBC.” A look of utter horror spreads across the man’s face.

That this minor character is played by Tony Revolori, the wonderful, kindly and too-little-seen star of “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” is more than a hint at Oppenheim’s sympathies. The British critic Charlie Brooker once wrote of “To Catch a Predator”: “When a TV show makes you feel sorry for potential child-rapists, you know it’s doing something wrong.” It's a good encapsulation of the moral dread that pulses through “Primetime.”

This is Oppenheim’s first feature film. The 30-year-old filmmaker has previously worked primarily in documentary, including the HBO series “Ren Faire” and the upcoming Elizabeth Holmes film “You Can See Everything,” co-directed with Nathan Fielder. And, perhaps because of that nonfiction sensibility, “Primetime” neither has a strong dramatic thrust nor offers especially deep portraits of its characters, including “Predator” producer Andie Bender (Merritt Wever), online vigilante Xavier Von Erck (Matthew Maher) and two of its actor “decoys”: Dan Plumb (Skyler Gisondo) and Del Harvey (Phoebe Bridgers). A more detailed history can be found in David Osit’s 2025 documentary, “Predators.”

Instead, “Primetime,” written by first-time screenwriter Ajon Singh, is predicated on a moment in time when something sinister was shifting in the media landscape. “TV is changing,” pronounces none other than Jeff Zucker, the former NBC Universal chief, playing himself. He frankly tells Hansen that he doesn’t like “To Catch a Predator,” but audiences do. He places the series in primetime, on Wednesday nights opposite ABC's “Lost,” ratcheting up the pressure for Hansen and company to deliver fresh blood. Viewers, no doubt, will be reminded, among other television news portraits, of Dan Gilroy’s “Nightcrawler,” the nocturnal neo-noir of “if it bleeds, it leads” local TV news.

A little glibly, “Primetime” revels in the dated ’00s aspirations of its characters: wannabe serious journalists chasing ratings and Hollywood hopefuls, like Dan, who are coaxed into performing as underaged children. The movie is always sitting in judgment of its characters — not an unfair perspective, by any means, but not one prone to three-dimensionality.

Then again, “Primetime” is most concerned with two-dimensional screens and their capacity to wreck lives, warranted or not. When a fan sitting next to Hansen on a plane asks him if he’s ever tempted to physically “bleed” the show’s targets, he smiles and replies, with a touch of pride: “I think what I do is maybe a little worse.”

Yet the cast elevates the film, especially Wever, whose producer is so casually good at the kind of manipulation her job requires. Bridgers is also an uncannily natural presence in her first major movie role.

But “Primetime” belongs to Pattinson. He’s always been best in more tightly outlined roles where his natural inclination to blur the edges can really go places. (This year has been especially good in this regard, with Pattinson playing the memorably unnerved fiancé of “The Drama” and the sleazy suitor Antinous of “The Odyssey.”) In “Primetime,” his Hansen is an anxious adjudicator whose zeal for a bigger target — a “whale” — comes as his hypocrisy grows more apparent. A National Enquirer reporter keeps calling with his own expose on Hansen.

From the film’s first moments, though, we know that what Hansen vilifies is within him, too. He sits quoting, maybe relishing, the lurid chat room exchanges of his subject. There aren’t many surprises in this vividly realized but predetermined drama. Yet it’s hard to argue with the case it presents. Says Hansen: “There used to be a pillory in every village. Now, there’s a television in every living room.”