“Tomorrow, I need a monkey on set.” Saudi director Abdulaziz Almuzaini is recalling one of the more outlandish requests made when shooting his latest feature Lail Nahar, which will premiere at Red Sea International Film Festival on December 10 ahead of a theatrical release across the Kingdom.
Shot on location in Saudi Arabia in August, the film follows Nahar (played by Ziyad Alamri), a famous opera singer who is accused of racism. In a bid to save his reputation, he rushes into marriage with a darker-skinned wedding singer, only for their relationship to evolve in an unexpectedly emotional way.
“I am certain it will be the widest release of any Saudi film to date,” says Adon Quinn, CEO of Saudi exhibition and production giant Muvi Cinemas, which financed and supported the film. “Our strategy will be to first have a successful release in the Saudi market… and then go GCC wide.”
That ambition is not just confined to the Gulf. Through Muvi’s joint venture with the region’s leading distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment, the aim is also to take the film into international markets.
Getting to this point was not without its challenges, not least because Almuzaini was taking the leap into directing live action for the first time. An author, producer and animator, he has previously written popular works like feature Ras B Ras (Head To Head), and web series and film Masameer, both of which screened on Netflix and have developed a huge cult following.
“No matter how much success you have on digital, it feels more real when you sell tickets,” says Almuzaini of a theatrical release. “It sits differently. It’s more dangerous, higher risk, more nerve wracking — but that is the beauty of it.”
Important partner
The support of Muvi, which came on board at a very early stage, was crucial. “When [Almuzaini] pitched the project, I was sold,” recalls Quinn. “Our chairman was sold. With his proven track record, it was a no-brainer. We wanted just to leave it in his hands to have the freedom to do what he does best. We don’t like to tell somebody with his creative genius how to do things.”
“We had a lot of discussions that we wanted to see his next movie released theatrically and be a huge box office success,” Quinn continues of the film, which will have a special screening in Riyadh on December 11 ahead of its theatrical release across the Kingdom on December 12. “We wanted to be a part of what he was creating.”
Almuzaini is aware that his film is touching on “sensitive” issues, albeit in very playful fashion. “I thought comedy and music would allow for such a thing, “he says. “On the surface, yes, it’s comedy, it’s commercial, it’s fun, but we are discussing cancel culture, which is very heavy these days.
The feature is also tapping into the growing popularity of local films with Saudi viewers.
Primarily comedies, films in the kingdom tend to have characters that remind Saudi audiences of their own families, according to Quinn.
“There are so many great local stories to be told. We’ve seen some great successes,” says the Muvi CEO. “Whenever we are looking to invest in a film, we are looking for films made for the Saudi audience. We are not looking for the Saudi film that is going to travel the world. That will happen naturally.”
As an exhibitor, Muvi has 196 screens across 21 Saudi locations, with a further 70 screens due to open over the next 15 months. The sector is clearly heating up rapidly, and local filmmakers are becoming ever more bold.
“I don’t believe this industry is for the faint hearted,” Almuzaini adds as he prepares to launch Lail Nahar into the Saudi market. “I don’t like being in the safe zone when it comes to content. I don’t say have no limitations, no red lines, but the less they are, the more authentic the film is.”
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