Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Can Saudi Arabia’s AlUla rival Hollywood for film production?

Can Saudi Arabia’s AlUla rival Hollywood for film production?

AlUla has been garnering a growing reputation among regional and international filmmakers as a premier location because of its enchanting natural landscapes, incentives and expanding infrastructure.

The site’s remarkable range of services has been drawing inevitable comparisons with facilities offered in Hollywood and other production hotspots around the globe.

In 2020, the Royal Commission for AlUla established Film AlUla to attract and assist international movie and television production houses. The body is led by film commissioner Stephen Strachan, a veteran of the UK industry and a respected producer in the Middle East and North Africa.

Tawfik Al-Zaidi, director of the upcoming film “Norah,” has recognized the potential of the location. He wrote the story for the movie in 2015, drawing from his personal experiences as a struggling artist in the early 2000s before cinemas opened in the Kingdom.

Tawfik Al-Zaidi, director of the upcoming film “Norah.”


“Since that time (2015), I have always wanted to film the movie in AlUla,” said Al-Zaidi, who is from the Madinah region and has been visiting AlUla since he was nine years old.

The film tells the story of a young girl searching for her voice and an artist looking for his passion, Al-Zaidi told Arab News.

Home to Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra, AlUla has provided the perfect backdrop for several films in the past year. The horror film, “Cello,” written by Turki Al-Sheikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, and “Cherry,” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, were both shot in the historic city.

These were followed by “Kandahar,” starring Gerard Butler, which was the first big-budget Hollywood movie to film extensively in AlUla.

Al-Zaidi wanted to take viewers to this magical destination with which he shares a personal connection. “I’m from Madinah, and my family live here so I know this area very well. I know what the mountains look like,” he said.

Al-Zaidi further explained to Arab News what was attractive about the setting: “When you walk around in AlUla, you feel like you’re walking in a complete museum.”

Yaqoob Al-Farhan, one of the film’s actors.


Yaqoob Al-Farhan, one of the film’s actors, said of the character he portrays: “I think anyone who has artistic interests would really see himself in Nader.”

It’s befitting then that Nader’s story is told in a city that Al-Zaidi calls an “artwork on its own.”

“You see the inscriptions on the mountains, how the rocks are formed and their colors. You see that it already has art and when filming in the village, the background is full of mountains. (So) AlUla resembles the story too,” Al-Zaidi said.

Maria Bahrawi, the 16-year-old actor who plays the lead character, Norah, said: “AlUla is a spectacular area, especially for filmmaking. I believe it will develop even more for movie making especially because of its natural scenery, farms, palm trees.”

Maria Bahrawi, the 16-year-old actor who plays the lead character.


For the film’s producer Paul Miller, AlUla’s varied and unique landscape is what makes it stand out.

“It has about five different types of deserts within a half an hour drive. Normally, when we’re making a movie which requires a certain landscape, you’re driving hours if not days for different landscapes,” Miller told Arab News.

Besides the stunning landscapes, Film AlUla’s support is an important factor in attracting filmmakers to the city.

Miller said: “There’s a lot of logistical support, with permission and access, and they’ve built a dedicated film resort with 300 apartments for crew, and every day more and more of the infrastructure you need around filmmaking is here,” he said.

“They’re planning to build a studio that will hopefully be ready early to middle of next year. There’s a lot of opportunity here to promote it as a film destination because it’s so extraordinary,” he added.

During his time filming in AlUla, he has seen people come visit the city to learn about its beautiful scenery and how Film AlUla can support them. Once “Kandahar” and “Norah” are released, Miller said, “people, both abroad and here, will really see the potential of AlUla as a premier film destination.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
×