These films represent some of the best of Saudi filmmaking, reflecting the creativity, culture, and humor of the Saudi people. We want to bring these films to American audiences who are intrigued yet often misinformed by the media about Saudi life and values. These filmmakers represent the future of Saudi film and offer a look at its independent film scene American audiences would otherwise not be privy to.
These films were all screened as part of past editions of the Arab Film Festival presented by the Arab Film and Media Institute with the exception of NOUR SHAMS which is a new film highlighted as part of this event.
Dunya's Day
Dunya’s perfectly planned graduation party is headed for disaster when she is abandoned by all of her household help.
Festivals and Awards
Winner of the Jury Award - International Fiction, Sundance Film Festival, United States, 2019
San Francisco Film Festival, United States, 2019
About the filmmaker
Raed Alsemari is a filmmaker from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He completed his MFA in Filmmaking at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Before making films, Alsemari obtained his BA at Harvard University in history and literature with a focus on postcolonial studies. His latest short Dunya’s Day premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Jury Award for International Fiction.
- Year2019
- Runtime14 minutes
- LanguageArabic
- CountrySaudi Arabia
- Note
- DirectorRaed Alsemari
- ScreenwriterRaed Alsemari
- ProducerSarah Elnawasrah, Raed Alsemari
- Executive ProducerMohammed Almodaimeegh
- Co-ProducerAhoud Mirdad, Sara Balghonaim, Aya Hamdan, Ayah Bazian
- CastSara Balghonaim, Rahaf, Sarah Altaweel
- CinematographerOlivier Theurillat
- EditorOlivier Theurillat, Raed Alsemari
- Production DesignTamara Kalo
- Sound DesignAyah Bazian, Sara Kaddouri
These films represent some of the best of Saudi filmmaking, reflecting the creativity, culture, and humor of the Saudi people. We want to bring these films to American audiences who are intrigued yet often misinformed by the media about Saudi life and values. These filmmakers represent the future of Saudi film and offer a look at its independent film scene American audiences would otherwise not be privy to.
These films were all screened as part of past editions of the Arab Film Festival presented by the Arab Film and Media Institute with the exception of NOUR SHAMS which is a new film highlighted as part of this event.
Dunya's Day
Dunya’s perfectly planned graduation party is headed for disaster when she is abandoned by all of her household help.
Festivals and Awards
Winner of the Jury Award - International Fiction, Sundance Film Festival, United States, 2019
San Francisco Film Festival, United States, 2019
About the filmmaker
Raed Alsemari is a filmmaker from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He completed his MFA in Filmmaking at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Before making films, Alsemari obtained his BA at Harvard University in history and literature with a focus on postcolonial studies. His latest short Dunya’s Day premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Jury Award for International Fiction.
- Year2019
- Runtime14 minutes
- LanguageArabic
- CountrySaudi Arabia
- Note
- DirectorRaed Alsemari
- ScreenwriterRaed Alsemari
- ProducerSarah Elnawasrah, Raed Alsemari
- Executive ProducerMohammed Almodaimeegh
- Co-ProducerAhoud Mirdad, Sara Balghonaim, Aya Hamdan, Ayah Bazian
- CastSara Balghonaim, Rahaf, Sarah Altaweel
- CinematographerOlivier Theurillat
- EditorOlivier Theurillat, Raed Alsemari
- Production DesignTamara Kalo
- Sound DesignAyah Bazian, Sara Kaddouri