We caught up with Stephen Strachan, film commissioner at Film AlUla, and Paul Miller, producer of upcoming feature film Norah. The pair discussed filming in Saudi Arabia's AlUla area, exploring the filming locations, incentive schemes, and filmmaking resources that the region offers to incoming production teams.
Family Production are behind the first commercial shot during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The project was made for one of Ukraine's largest mobile service providers, Kyivstar. This spot tells the story of a volunteer who takes help to people in different parts of the country, emphasising the importance of staying connected.
Mandarin Media is an international full-service production company based in Spain, Portugal and south of France.
The fundraising campaign for the Ukrainian filmmaking community will continue at Cannes Lions with support from Gerety Awards and Tantor Films. Ukrainian lapel pins will be available at the Gerety Awards and Tantor Films villa events, and a minimum donation of EUR10 is required for each lapel pin.
The Saudi Film Commission has unveiled its new incentive programme: ‘Film Saudi.’ This scheme offers cash rebates worth up to 40%. Qualifiers for the new incentives include: featuring the Kingdom’s culture, history and people; showcasing the diverse selection of landscapes in Saudi Arabia; or recruiting Saudi crew and talent above and below the line. Incoming film producers who want to bring their next shoot to the Kingdom – whether partially or fully – are invited to apply.
United Channel Movies (UCM) is shooting its latest feature film in Sri Lanka. UCM – a film production house from Israel – will create the project alongside Sri Lanka-based company Frames TV & Film Production, Sri Lanka Tourism and the Israel Film Commission. Named after a prominent beach area in Sri Lanka’s eastern region, Arugam Bay will also shoot in Tel Aviv, Israel. This collaboration was arranged after Frames TV & Film Productions attended FOCUS, The Location Guide’s annual trade conference in London.
A major new film studio is being built in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla region. The complex will offer two soundstages (both 24,000 sq ft) alongside a backlot, production offices, catering spaces, film clusters and other support facilities. Following the successful filming of action movie Kandahar with Gerard Butler and Apple TV+’s Iraq war drama Cherry, the region’s filmmakers are keen to use state-of-the-art facilities to attract more international co-productions. It is anticipated that the studio will open by February 2023.
Mohammed Al Turki has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation. Al Turki joined the foundation - an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Saudi Arabian film culture - in 2020. He will continue to champion emerging Saudi and Arab talent while, at the same time, spearhead the festival's growth.