On April 16 and 17, 2019, the Embassy of the Netherlands hosted the Falcon Arts Festival. More than 30 Saudi movies were screened and there were performances by a Saudi rap group and a female Saudi graffiti artist. The great success of the 2018 Golden Falcon Film Festival led to the ambition of organizing an even better festival in 2019.
The new name reflected this ambition: not only film, but also other forms of art were displayed. However, the focus remained on Saudi-made movies. Last year’s edition showed that the Saudi film industry is thriving. Saudi Arabia is rediscovering itself with fantastic initiatives. The unique history and cultural richness of KSA provide a rich source of inspiration for local artists. Through this year’s edition, the Netherlands embassy hoped to contribute, at least to a small extent, to the creative boom of the Saudi entertainment sector.
Joost Reijntjes, ambassador of the Netherlands in KSA, emphasized that “Although cinemas have only been re-opened recently, the Saudi filmmaking industry has already made quite a name for itself on the international stage”. According to Jeroen Gankema, the director of the festival, movies “are a fantastic way to connect people”.
The Effat University Film Program has been an important partner for this edition of the Falcon Arts Festival, providing several high-quality student films. The University’s Visual and Digital Production Program is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and was launched in 2013-2014.
The shows featured included Noura bin Saidan, the first graffiti artist girl in Riyadh, who performed a live art in public. She has participated in many international and local events and has gained extensive graffiti experience in both London and Barcelona. Min Al Riyadh, the Saudi Jazz Fusion Band was also featured.
