12th Saudi Film Festival Opens at Ithra with Broad International Participation

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is hosting the 12th Saudi Film Festival, an event that has brought together prominent figures from the local, regional, and international film communities. Organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with Ithra and supported by the Film Commission, the festival runs from June 26 to July 2, 2026.

Under the theme “Every Story is a Journey,” the festival celebrates filmmaking as a creative process from conception to screening. This year's edition saw a significant number of submissions, with 314 entries including 249 films and 65 production market projects. A total of 27 films will compete for nine Golden Palm Awards across feature-length fiction, short fiction, and documentary categories, showcasing cinematic talent from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, the Arab world, and internationally.

Beyond the competitions, the festival offers a rich program of specialized panel discussions, masterclasses, and training workshops. Attendees can also participate in book-signing sessions for publications from the Saudi Cinema Encyclopedia and the “Meet the Experts” program, which provides one-on-one mentoring with professionals in various aspects of filmmaking, including production, directing, editing, criticism, festival programming, and project development.