Riyadh – Asdaf News:
The Delegation of the European Union in Riyadh, in cooperation with the Embassies of the EU Member States and the Arabia Pictures, announces today the 3rd edition of the European Film Festival taking place in Saudi Arabia. The Festival will run from 29 May to 6 June and, for the first time, the Festival will take place both in Riyadh and in Jeddah. The Festival will be hosted at VOX Cinemas Century Corner in Riyadh and at the newly opened VOX Cinemas Jeddah Park in Jeddah.
The Festival this year is bigger than ever featuring 21 European films from different European countries. These include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The line-up of films includes also several award-winning movies, including Oscars and the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
H.E. Mr. Christophe Farnaud, EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, commented: “I am glad that the European Film Festival in Saudi Arabia has become a landmark event on the Kingdom’s cultural calendar. The Festival has been expanding year by year and this time around, we are not only showcasing more movies but also bringing the Festival to Jeddah. I hope that this will allow even more Saudi film enthusiasts to attend the Festival’s many film screenings and side-events.”
Ahmed Teama, CEO of Arabia Pictures, reiterated his delight at extending the collaboration with the European Union Delegation to Saudi Arabia for a third consecutive year. He lauded the European Film Festival as one of the most significant cinematic events in the Kingdom, highlighting its unique appeal that draws a devoted audience of international cinema enthusiasts within Saudi Arabia.
Aimed at facilitating cultural exchange and promoting European cinema, the Festival will also foster contacts between the European and Saudi filmmakers through the organisation of dedicated side-events. Among the guests will be Oscar-winning Austrian film director Stefan Ruzowitzky who will be giving a masterclass at the Festival. The Festival guest list also includes Kyriakos Tofaridis, Mijke de Jong as well as Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney, from Cyprus, the Netherlands and Ireland, respectively, who will meet the audiences and run an open conversation with filmmakers and film enthusiasts. All side-events are free of charge and will take place at VOX Cinemas Century Corner in Riyadh. Notably, VOX Cinemas is also sponsoring the Festival.
Tickets to all film screenings are 30 SAR. For further information about the Festival’s schedule and for purchasing tickets, please visit: https://arabiapictures.sa/EuroFest or https://ksa.voxcinemas.com
