TwentyOne Entertainment, a new acquisition and distribution company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, unveiled its formation on Tuesday, saying it will make its official debut at the upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah. The Saudi fest, running Nov. 30-Dec. 9, will feature Norah, the first movie on the company’s slate, in its competition lineup, as unveiled on Monday.
“Our goal is to consistently deliver a high-quality cinematic entertainment experience and be an innovative leader in this fast-developing market,” said TwentyOne Entertainment CEO Paul Chesney, who previously held senior management roles at the likes of Universal and Disney, as well as technology start-ups. “We look forward to building strong partnerships throughout the region and around theworld.”
Norah, from Saudi writer-director Tawfik Alzaidi, is set in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s and is the first Saudi feature film to shoot entirely in the country’s AlUla region. Described as a “story about the powerof art to inspire and change minds and hearts,” its cast features Yaqoub Alfarhan (Rashash), newcomer Maria Bahrawi and Abdullah Alsadhan (Tash ma Tash).
“One of my goals while making Norah was to make a high-quality, international standard film and to create a new identity for Saudi film, which will have a great impact on local and international audiences,” said Tawfik Alzaidi. “I am excited to be collaborating with TwentyOne Entertainment to put my treasured first feature film out into the world.”
