NORAH
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Set in a small remote Saudi Arabian village, in the 90s when artistic expression was banned, NORAH is a story about the basic human need to communicate through art, in all its forms. Nader, a new schoolteacher and an artist in secret, arrives at the village and meets Norah, a young woman who ignites the creativity inside him and inspires him to paint again. At great risk, they develop a delicate connection and a quiet bond. Nader enlightens Norah on the wider world outside of her tiny community and she realises she must leave, to find a place where she can be free to express her artistic self.
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Cannes Film Festival 2024 - Un Certain Regard
More to be announced soon! -
Official Screenings
To Be AnnouncedMarket Screenings:
Fri 17 I 12 PM I Palais C (Market Screening - Priority Badge)
Sat 18 I 4 PM I Lerins 1 (Market Screening - Priority Badge) -
Gemma Apted <gemma@twentyoneent.com>
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Director Tawfik Alzaidi Cast Yaqoub Alfarhan, Maria Bahrawi, Abdullah Alsadhan Editor Mounir Soussi Director of Photography Shaun Harley Lee Composer Omar Fadel Production Designer Rand Abdel Nour Costume Designer Phaedra Dahdaleh Year 2023 Category Fiction Language Arabic Run time 95 mns Original title Norah Country of production Saudi Arabia Production company TwentyOne Entertainment presents a Black Sugar Pictures Production
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Tawfik Alzaidi is a Saudi director, based in Riyadh. He wrote, directed and produced "Norah", his homegrown debut feature film. Tawfik is considered to be a leading and influential member of the new cinema wave in Saudi Arabia.
Tawfik began directing his own short films in 2006. His first short film “The Fabricated Crime” won best editing in the Jeddah Film Festival in 2007 and his film “The Silence” won the Gulf Short Film Award in the Muscat International Film Festival 2009.
In 2010, he wrote and directed “Exit” which won the Golden Creative award from Syndicate of cinema technicians in Lebanon.
In 2014, he wrote and directed “Four Colors” supported by Two Four 54 in the United Arab Emirates. The film was shown at the Dubai International Film Festival and featured in the Dubai Film Market.
In 2015, he wrote and directed “The Other”, funded by the Misk Foundation and won the award for best short film at the Riyadh Film Festival 2016. The film featured prominent Syrian actor Mohamed Al Qass and Saudi actor Meshal Almutairi.
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This film takes place in my country, Saudi Arabia, in the 90s when art in all its shapes, forms and colours was not allowed. Everything has changed now but it was a time that lasted a long 35 years. Many artists and musicians stopped their artistic careers because of the pressure exerted on them. This film is about those special people who managed to keep their creativity alive despite being considered different or outsiders by their society at that time. But those artists inspired the artists of today, the new generation, and their work is now recognized all around the world.
Ever since I was 12 I had a passion for creativity and art. I was always trying to understand why it was forbidden in my society. I became part of the first wave of new Saudi directors to start making short films in 2006. There was no cinema in Saudi and people were always telling me there was no point in trying to make films here. When I was thinking about ideas for my first feature film, I came across some of the stories from artists who had been suppressed in the 80’s and 90’s. Their stories resonated with me and I felt like I was in the exact same situation.
I believe there is always creativity inside people that needs to have an outlet in the outside world. Creativity, for me, is a tool to communicate between people and I want to show that in this film.
- Tawfik Alzaidi
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Coming soon….
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Presskit
Stills
Clips
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