Saudi Sales & Acquisition Company TwentyOne Ent. To Launch at Red Sea Fest With Competition Title ‘Norah’ & Former Universal Pictures Exec At Helm
07.11.2023 - 12:03
/ deadline.com
New Riyadh-based acquisition and distribution company TwentyOne Entertainment has announced its launch at upcoming the Red Sea International Film Festival, which is due to unfold in the port city of in Jeddah from November 30 to December 9.
The fledgeling company has appointed long-time Universal Pictures exec Paul Chesney, whose last position there was EVP Global Operations out of L.A., as its CEO.
On its first outing the company will be focusing on international sales for writer-director Tawfik Alzaidi first feature’s Norah, which was announced as a contender in the festival’s main competition on Monday.
Described as a “deeply moving story about the power of art to inspire and change minds”, the movie is set in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s. Rising actor Yaqoub Alfarhan (Rashash) stars as a newly qualified teacher who is posted to a remote village, where he meets Norah, played by newcomer Maria Bahrawi.
Her courage inspires him and awakens his artistic talent and passion, while he enlightens Norah on the wider world outside of the village, making her realise she must leave her world to find a place where her imagination and spirit can be free.
The cast also features veteran Saudi actor Abdullah Alsadhan (Tash ma Tash).
“It is very exciting to be launching at the Red Sea International Film Festival and a great honor to have a groundbreaking film such as Norah to be the first film on our slate,” said Chesney.
“Our goal is to consistently deliver a high-quality cinematic entertainment experience and be an innovative leader in this fast-developing market. We look forward to building strong partnerships throughout the region and around the world.”
Alzaidi belongs to a new wave of filmmakers emerging out of Saudi Arabia