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Cultural Development Fund Participates in the Red Sea Film Festival

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
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Cultural Development Fund Participates in the Red Sea Film Festival

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

The Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) participated as an official sponsor of the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF), from November 30 to December 9, as part of its strategy to establish partnerships, with the non-profit sector, that contribute to the sustainable development of the Saudi film sector, according to a CDF press release.

According to the report, the interest in the fund-presented initiatives created "an atmosphere of dynamic cultural exchange", highlighting "the positive impact of the fund in enabling the sector and contributing to its development".

CDF hosted a "FilmFunding Lunch" at the Wasl Art Space, on December 3, on the sidelines of the festival. The event aligned with the fund's vision, enabled those working in the sector by opening lines of direct communication in a setting designed specifically for top local and international companies, giving them the opportunity to engage in private consultations, become aware of challenges and promote the Film Sector Financing Program, SPA reported.

Saudi Cultural Development Fund Chief Investment and Credit Officer Abdullah Alkhaldi, in a panel discussion titled "Unlocking Co-Production Opportunities with the Arab World", shed light on the government’s role in facilitating investments in the film sector.

Alkhaldi also talked about the fund's endeavor to offer comprehensive financial support for the sector’s full value chain, with a focus on de-risking investments to facilitate market entry for local and international businesses.

CDF concluded its participation at the festival by celebrating the first world premiere of “Ahlam Alasr”, by the Godus brothers “Sohayb Godus and Faris Godus”. The tickets for the film premiere were sold out within five days of the festival; the film garnered wide acclaim from both audience and critics. It was funded by CDF through its Cultural Projects Incentive Program.

Launched two years ago in partnership with the Quality of Life Program, the fund allocated a budget of SAR181 million to provide non-recoupable financing for projects in the cultural sectors, including filmmaking, to meet the needs of the cultural sector and contribute to its development.

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Archaeological Discovery: Innovative Tomb Patterns Found in Saudi Arabia

Ancient tombs dating back 4,500 years discovered in the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. (SPA)
Ancient tombs dating back 4,500 years discovered in the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. (SPA)
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Archaeological Discovery: Innovative Tomb Patterns Found in Saudi Arabia

Ancient tombs dating back 4,500 years discovered in the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. (SPA)
Ancient tombs dating back 4,500 years discovered in the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia is actively exploring its rich archaeological heritage, uncovering treasures that are prompting a reevaluation of the region’s history.

These efforts highlight the Arabian Peninsula’s significant role in human civilization, with many artifacts preserved underground or on rock formations.

Archaeological tombs discovered across Saudi Arabia provide a valuable opportunity to reshape the historical narrative of the Arabian Peninsula’s civilization.

Field research and ongoing exploration enrich these discoveries, led by Saudi researchers Dr. Eid Al-Yahya and archaeologist Dr. Qusai Al-Turki.

Their recent focus includes the “Al-Ajalah” (Wheel) tombs in various regions between Makkah and Madinah, and a unique musical instrument tomb found in Turbah city, near Makkah.

Exploring burial sites in Saudi Arabia is challenging and time-consuming due to the large number of tombs, their varied designs, purposes, and remote locations.

Al-Yahya and Al-Turki aim to uncover these tombs’ intriguing patterns, which often reflect themes of life, the heavens, and the afterlife, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s significant historical role in early civilization.

The researchers have named “Wheel” tombs as such due to their circular design resembling a wheel or a “Star Tomb,” resembling a four-pointed star.

This comparison stems from its pictorial symbolism in early cuneiform and its association with the concept of “star” or “planet.”

Al-Yahya, an anthropologist specializing in Arabian Peninsula civilization, conducted field surveys across thousands of tombs in Saudi Arabia.

This helped him and Al-Turki in identifying hundreds of thousands of such tombs, including the prevalent Wheel tomb pattern found in areas like Al-Mahd and Al-Baqum, and in regions between Makkah and Madinah.

The Wheel is described as a circular structure with pillars, featuring a burial chamber in one of its four sections. Originally intended for four individuals, only one person was buried there, visible as a dark spot in the northeast corner of the wheel, as seen in aerial photographs.

Al-Turki, known for his research on ancient civilizations between Iraq and the Arabian Gulf, noted similarities between Saudi Arabia’s Wheel tombs and tombs dating back to around 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamian writings.

This suggests that these tombs, shaped like wheels or stars surrounded by circles, were originally built in the Arabian Peninsula.

They symbolized connections to the universe, stars, and planets like Mercury, Mars, and Saturn.

Researchers believe that when migrants from the Arabian Peninsula settled in Mesopotamia, they brought this tomb design with them, integrating it into their cultural inventions, including writing.

In another find, coincidence led amateur Saad Al-Subai to discover a unique pattern of ancient tombs in the Bani Hilal area of southwest Saudi Arabia.

This discovery revealed a distinctive style found specifically in Turbah city, resembling a musical instrument with a tall column and a lower oval ring adorned with 17 triangular stone structures resembling strings.

The oval ring measures 50 meters north-south and 40 meters east-west, with a tail length of about 100 meters, width of 2 meters, and height up to 1.50 meters.

These triangular tombs start with an elevated base and slope towards the head, located at the center of the oval ring, marking the primary burial site for the most important individual.

Discoveries like these are reshaping our understanding of Saudi Arabia’s history and civilization.

Al-Yahya and Al-Turki continue their efforts to study and highlight the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing its historical significance as one of humanity’s earliest inhabited regions.