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After Saudi Arabia lifted a 35-year ban on cinemas, the Saudi film industry has seen a great boom. With initiatives such as the Red Sea Film Festival and the founding of many film production companies across the kingdom, Saudi Arabia is looking to establish itself as a regional and international force in the film industry. In recent years, local actors, producers, and directors have experienced a great deal of support and were able to create great pieces of work. Here are 5 Saudi films you can enjoy today on Netflix. Sit back, grab your favorite snack, and enjoy!
AlKhallat+
What started off as a popular 22-episode YouTube comedy series that shed a satiric light on everyday life in Saudi Arabia, has now become a film on Netflix. The stories within Alkhallat+ are all immersed in social deception and trickery. The opening tale follows two thieves, caught in the act of stealing car tyres and sneaking into a wedding.
In the next, a chef working in an upscale restaurant puts its reputation on the line to save her parents’ marriage. The third story features a man who returns to the morgue to help conceal his deceased friend’s extramarital affair. In the final story, a mother searches for her husband as he tries to find their son in a nightclub in Dubai.
Sattar
This comedy/action film follows the story of Saad, a young man who is obsessed with professional wrestling and decides to audition for wrestling promotion company EEW after they announce they’re holding auditions in Riyadh. He goes to the audition, hoping to become an international wrestler, however, he fails. He ends up getting one more chance after meeting an eccentric man who offers to be his manager. From there, Saad and his new manager embark on a hilarious journey, taking part in smaller wrestling promotions, filled with other Saudi wrestlers, hoping to make it big one day.
Masameer The Movie
Masameer the movie, is a film based on one of the most successful cartoon shows in the region. This animation-for-grown-ups franchise is dedicated to social commentary. The movie follows the story of Danah’, a Saudi girl with a passion for artificial intelligence. She embarks on a journey to create good in the world using robotics. Meanwhile, her three friends ‘Saad, Saltooh, and Kalb hit rock bottom and go on a journey of their own to prove themselves to society by becoming crime-fighting superheroes. Masameer the Movie is a hilarious comedy that is not to be missed!
Wajda
Wajda is Saudi Arabia’s first-ever Oscar-nominated film. Released in 2012, this world-renowned film follows the story of an enterprising Saudi girl, Wajda, who signs on for her school’s Koran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest. In the process, the events that unfold in Wajda’s life, sheds a powerful light on women’s experience in the kingdom, starting from childhood.
Barakah Meets Barakah
Barakah Meets Barakah is Saudi Arabia‘s second Oscar-nominated film. The film follows the story of a middle-class man and a girl from a rich family who fall in love. In a society where such unions are frowned upon, the film showcases the intricate views on classism and the social and political restrictions that stand in the way of meeting and mingling with the opposite gender, when a 20-something-year-old municipal law enforcement officer from a humble background and a beauty and Instagram star from a wealthy family start dating. The film is a must-watch for those who are fans of romantic comedies, as it is a smart, funny, charming, and bittersweet tale.
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