Gulf Directors Hail Cannes Film Fest

Film directors from the Gulf States hailed the high status which Cannes International Film Festival has, being one of the mot important international film festivals for contacting prominent filmmakers worldwide. 

“Cannes Festival constitutes festivity for all international film festivals,” the Kuwaiti director Abdel Mohsen al Khalfan told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) adding that he is keen on attending it annually to follow up everything new in the cinema industry. 

The Saudi director and producer Saleh al Fozan said that he considers Cannes festival as the most important opportunity for contacting the most important art creative figures. He added that he has met over the past few days of the festival many film producers from all over the world to invite them to participate in the first Saudi narrative film with international art specifications. The film will be about life in the Saudi capital Riyadh during the forties and fifties. 

Fozan said Kuwaiti and Saudi stars will participate in the film including Suad Abdulla, Hayat al Fahed, Merriam al Saleh, Naser al Kasabi and Abdulla al Sadhan under his direction. 

For his part, the Bahraini director Bassam al Thawadi hailed the festival for the opportunities it provide for contacts with the largest number of filmmakers in the Arab world for the purpose of updating one’s knowledge on the world of cinema. This is in addition to the chance for meeting a number of directors, producers and distributors and heads of Arab and foreign festivals before the second Arab film festival scheduled in Bahrain during the period between next December 17-25 -- Albawaba.com