Netflix, the world’s leading video streaming service, will show six award-winning Saudi Arabian short films that tackle thought-provoking social issues starting from February 27.
The films, produced by the Saudi and UAE-based studio Telfaz11, will be available to viewers in 190 countries.
Released under the name “Six Windows in the Desert,” the movies will shed light on several universal themes, including social taboos, love, and extremism.
“It is our strong belief that a great story can come from anywhere and be loved everywhere. With the vast number of local talents and creators all over the world, the potential for diverse and interesting stories is endless,” the Director of Content Acquisition at Netflix, Nuha el-Tayeb, said.
The shorts will offer global audiences perspective into the world of Saudi Arabian creators, and the characters who tell their own unique stories.
In “27th of Shaban,” one of the shorts set to stream on the binge watching service, the two unmarried main characters Mohammed and Nouf go out on a date, an act that is often seen as taboo in the Kingdom.
“Wasati” tells the true story of the 2010 extremist attack on a play called Wasati bela Wastiah (A Moderate without Moderation) in Riyadh.
“We are excited to bring the work of local Saudi talents to 167 million subscribers around the world. Telfaz11 Studios produces authentic and intriguing stories from our culture, and we cannot wait for the world to see what we have to offer,” Chief Executive Officer at Telfaz11 Studios, Alaa Fadan, said.
The Kingdom’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud praised the acquisition as “a great move.”
Saudi Arabia opened its first movie theater in 2018, as part of recent plans aimed at developing the country’s entertainment sector.
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Under Vision 2030, a sweeping set of reforms introduced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom hopes to diversify its economy.
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