Saudi minister meets Paraguay’s president-elect

Saudi minister meets Paraguay’s president-elect

DHAHRAN: Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, will debut the world premiere of its most recent feature film, “Hajjan" at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival next month.

The coming-of-age film follows a young Saudi orphan, Matar, who embarks on an epic journey across the Kingdom’s vast desert with his beloved camel, Hofira. Once tragedy strikes, the two find themselves on a journey racing other camels in a quest to help restore the past and save the future.

“Hajjan” which translates to cameleer or camel jockey, is scheduled for wider release in 2024, the year designated as the UN’s “International Year of Camelids.”

Actress Alshaima’a Tayeb and various members of the cast and crew during filming. (Supplied)

Arab News sat down with three of the key people who created the film, director Abu Bakr Shawky, Film Clinic founder and producer Mohamed Hefzy, and Majed Z. Samman, producer at Ithra Film Production, before the film makes its international debut next month, as part of TIFF’s Discovery program.

Samman said, “We are thrilled to present this universal story from a unique Saudi perspective to the world through Ithra Film Production. Our mission is to support Saudi Arabia’s growing film industry by nurturing home-grown talent and