Over the past twelve months, Telfaz11 has established itself at the forefront of the Saudi production industry.
Its comedy Sattar became the number one Saudi film ever, and the fourth biggest release of all time at the Saudi box office, with over 918,000 admissions.
Two Telfaz11 films – Ali Kalthami’s drama Mandoob and Meshal Aljaser’s suspense thriller Naga – world premiered at Toronto.
Both are playing at Red Sea before being released later this month: Naga on Netflix on December 7 and Mandoob in theatres on December 14. Abdullah Alkhamees’ short The Old School also world premieres at Red Sea.
Another milestone was the launch of its first film for Netflix, AlKhallat+. In the summer, Telfaz11 and media hub Neom announced a partnership that will see the creation of up to nine TV and films over the next three years. The first, Ahmed Alhokail’s adventure tale Al-Gaid, will start shooting in the first quarter of 2024.
“Our primary focus is on telling Saudi stories across a wide spectrum of genres and styles,” explains Telfaz11 CEO Alaa Fadan, who co-founded the company with Mandoob director Kalthami and Saudi star Ibraheem Al Khairallah. “We don’t adhere to a one-size-fits-all formula; we strive to make each film distinct from one another.”
Coming up, the company is in the final stage of post on its Saify, the second feature from Telfaz11 Studios head Wael Abumansour. The latest from Telfaz11’s international slate, it’s an original story that unfolds in Jeddah two decades ago.
Telfaz11 started life in 2010 producing YouTube videos from Saudi’s underground stand-up comedy scene. The videos went viral, generating millions of views from young Saudis before the country had even begun opening up its entertainment sector.
Then, as cinemas started to open up in Saudi from 2018, it launched a division focused on feature film and high-end TV, Telfaz11 Studios.
Explaining the success of Sattar, Fadan cites “the convergence” of an entertaining formula, a strategic grassroots campaign, and the authenticity and star power of cast Ibrahim Al Hajjaj, Abdulaziz Alshehri, and Ibraheem Alkhairallah.
He says there is growing audience confidence in Saudi films which reflects the evolving taste and appreciation for local narratives.
Fadan says Saudi film production is growing in terms of both above and below-the-line skills. Challenges in the industry include “high demand against a limited supply and talent pool across the whole chain.”
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