'Norah' is the first Saudi feature film to be shot at AlUla with an all-Saudi cast and more than 40% Saudi crew.
Saudi film Norah, backed by the Red Sea Fund, premiered on June 20 at Vox Cinema, Roshn Front. The event was graced by the presence of director Tawfik Al-Zaidi, alongside stars Maria Bahrawi, Yaqoub Al-Farhan and Abdullah Al-Sadhan.
Norah recently premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time a Saudi film has been selected for the festival’s official lineup. The film earned a Special Mention from the Cannes jury in the category.
The film was shot entirely in the historic city of AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia. With 40% of the film crew consisting of Saudis, the production showcases the strong local support for the burgeoning Saudi film industry.
Norah had its international premiere at the third annual Red Sea International Film Festival in December, where it won the prestigious Film AlUla Award for Best Saudi Feature Film.
Set in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, Norah is described as a moving narrative about the transformative power of art in inspiring and changing minds and hearts. Tawfik Alzaidi both penned and directed the film, making it the first Saudi Arabian feature entirely shot in the AlUla region of Saudi Arabia.
The film centres around its titular character, portrayed by Saudi newcomer Maria Bahrawi, an illiterate orphaned young woman trapped in a remote village facing an arranged marriage. Her encounter with Nader, an artist turned schoolteacher played by Saudi star Yaqoub Alfarhan, ignites a profound passion for art and a yearning for a life beyond the confines of her village.
Shot in AlUla, a vast expanse of Saudi desert and ancient city ruins, Norah received acclaim and financial support from the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw Film Competition, an initiative launched in 2019 to nurture Saudi film talent and production.
Produced by Alzaidi and US producer Paul Miller, alongside Jordanian producer Sharif Majali, Norah represents a collaborative effort between Saudi production companies Black Sugar Pictures and Nebras Films.
Global rights to Norah were secured in December by TwentyOne Entertainment, a new Riyadh-based company launched by former Universal Pictures executive Paul Chesney, underscoring the film’s international appeal and the growing recognition of Saudi talent in the global film industry.
