Saudi Arabia’s Telfaz11 Studios Pacts With France’s Easy Riders on Saudi Film Slate

Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear begins offshore rollout this week, but won’t be hitting cinemas in such Middle East markets as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Nor will it go to theaters in Malaysia or Indonesia. Deadline understands the film has not received distribution certificates in these markets. As with other recent Hollywood films, the issue is believed to be related to LGBTQ content.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentPixar’s “Lightyear” will not be playing in Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. and Kuwait, among other West Asia territories, due to the inclusion of a same sex kiss in the “Toy Story” spinoff.The scene, involving a new lesbian space ranger character named Alisha and her partner starting a family together and greeting each other with a kiss on the lips had been originally cut from the film by Disney.But it was reinstated when Pixar animators spoke out against Disney in an open letter obtained by Variety, saying that Disney had demanded cuts, censoring “overtly gay affection” and in protest against Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAnthology film “Quareer,” by five young female Saudi directors, has emerged as the big winner at the eighth edition of the Saudi Film Festival, which is the country’s oldest film event. “Quareer” consists of five segments depicting women taking risks to carve out their own spaces, and explores themes of abandonment, neglect, control, abuse and shame in Saudi’s now changing conservative society. The film scored five prizes in total at the festival, including the Golden Palm Tree for best film and the prize for best director(s), which collectively went to filmmakers Ragheed Al Nahdi, Norah Almowald, Ruba Khafagy, Fatma Alhazmi and Noor Alameer.Additionally, “Quareer,” which had premiered last December at Saudi’s Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, also scored awards for best cinematography, best script and best score.

Ted Sarandos To Be Named Entertainment Person Of The Year At Cannes Lions

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson today announced he will return to golf in LIV Golf’s London tournament this Thursday. “Lefty,” as he is known, took a four-month break after remarks he made about the PGA and Saudi Arabia.

Iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve will be presented with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 79th Venice Film Festival which runs August 31–September 10 on the Lido.

Saudi Arabia is getting its own version of “The Office.”“Al Maktab,” the name of the Saudi Arabian version, will span 20 episodes. MBC Studios is producing the show, after making a deal with BBC Studios, which licenses the franchise.The new version, which begins production in June, is set at a courier company.It will star Saleh Abuamrh, who will play the boss – Malik Al-Tuwaifi.

The Office is set to air later this year.BBC Studios recently struck a deal with local producer and broadcaster MBC, who will air the new show via streamer Shahid VIP.The new remake will be called Al Maktab and will be directed by Egyptian filmmaker Hisham Fathi, according to Deadline.The self-absorbed boss played by Ricky Gervais in the UK version and Steve Carell in the US remake will be played by Saleh Abuamrh in Al Maktab, and is called Malik Al-Tuwaif.So far, The Office has been remade in 10 territories including France, Germany, Canada and India. Al Maktab will be the first in the Arabic language.André Renaud, BBC Studios’ SVP Format Sales, said in a statement: “Although office working may look slightly different for many of us in 2022, the familiarity of these well-observed characters as they navigate petty rivalries, moments of friendship and humour, and a boss that sometimes makes a fool of themselves still rings just as true.”Meanwhile, several cast members of The Office revealed they were “almost killed twice” while filming episode ‘Work Bus’. Actors Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who play Pam Beesley and Angela Martin in the US sitcom, recalled the incident in their new book The Office BFFs: Tales Of The Office From Two Best Friends Who Were There.The episode, directed by Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston, saw Dwight (Rainn Wilson) convert a bus into an office space after Jim (John Krasinski) convinces him the office building is unsafe.In an excerpt from the book on Mashable, Kinsey wrote: “We want you to know that we see the irony that Bryan Cranston, aka Walter White Sr.

French actress Léa Seydoux is having a big moment right now at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Not only is she set to star in the latest film from director David Cronenberg, “Crimes Of The Future” (read our review), but she is also the lead in Mia Hansen-Løve’s “One Fine Morning” (read our review) But there is another project she is opening up about that she almost did.

Zeinab Abu Alsamh has only been general manager of MBC Studios Saudi Arabia for a year but with the blazing speed at which the local industry is growing, she says it has felt more like five.

“The Stars at Noon” finds the French filmmaker Claire Denis shooting in Panama doubling for Nicaragua; directing a cast of Yanks, Brits, and assorted Central Americans; and working from a script switching between Spanish and English. Internationally coproduced Towers of Babel such as this aren’t at all uncommon at the Cannes Film Festival, but the errors in translation all over this disappointing foreign-relations drama run deeper than simple differences of ethnicity or language.

Saudi Arabia has taken another step in its push to become a movie production hub by launching its long-awaited 40% cash rebate to grow the local economy.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Saudi Film Commission has announced its long gestating incentive for film productions in the kingdom which consists of an up to 40% cash rebate.Ever since it lifted its 35-year-old religion-related ban on cinema in 2017, Saudi has been experiencing a boom in all aspects of film industry activity,  becoming West Asia’s top-grossing territory in terms of theatrical box office returns. Attracting international film and TV productions is clearly a key part of this government-driven effort.Details of the Saudi rebate, which was announced in Cannes, remain scant besides the fact that it provides up to 40% of spend in cash back for film productions that recruit Saudi crew and talent above and below the line and feature the kingdom’s “culture, history and people along with showcasing the diverse selection of landscapes in Saudi Arabia,” a statement said.