Ibrahim Al Hasawi has dreamt of this moment for decades. The Saudi actor, 60, grew up hoping that some day his country's cinema would be recognised the world over. Now that it is finally happening, with streaming hits and festival accolades year after year, Al Hasawi has found himself not as merely an early pioneer but a central figure in the Saudi creative renaissance.
He tells The National: “It's amazing. In just a few short years, we’ve seen a major leap in Saudi filmmaking.”
In April, Al Hasawi received a lifetime achievement award at the Saudi Film Festival, an accolade he does not take lightly. A lifelong film enthusiast, Al Hasawi started out in theatre before moving on to a prolific television career. Having acted in dozens of Gulf series, Al Hasawi is now starring in major film productions that are screened at festivals around the world.
Speaking to The National, Al Hasawi says Saudi Arabia has come a long way since he was a budding young actor. “In the early days, our theatre was male-dominated,” he explains. “Female characters were rarely shown on stage, only mentioned, like: ‘Where's your mother?’ ‘She's in the kitchen.’ Or: ‘Where's your sister?’ ‘She went to school.’”
“These characters existed only through dialogue, not presence. It was more like radio drama.”
Al Hasawi credits the kingdom’s Vision 2030 for revolutionising the arts in the past 10 years. “We now have the Theatre Commission, the Film Commission, and the Visual Arts Commission. There’s been a real transformation. Technology has entered the theatre scene. The current moment is exciting. I haven't done theatre in a while, but now I’m seriously considering it,” he says.
Hobal is the latest film to star Al Hasawi. Set in 1990, weeks before the beginning of the Gulf War, it follows a Saudi family that still lives in the desert. Al Hasawi portrays the family’s patriarch, a hard-headed hardliner who believes there is nothing good to be gained from living in the city and accepting the advancement of society.
Al Hasawi said he was intrigued when the director Abdulaziz Al Shalahi called him about the role. “He’s strict but not heartless,” he says of his character, “His values and convictions might not be ‘right’ by universal standards, but they define him. He's a classic elder figure, very much shaped by his own era and beliefs.”
The film is equal parts period piece and family drama. The family elder has three sons – one who completely agrees with him on everything, a second who is beginning to doubt and a third who has abandoned the family and moved to the city.
Al Hasawi says he has met people who lived like his character. He adds: “I grew up in a village in Al Ahsa, and I knew people like him. They may not have been as strict, but many lived and died in the same village without ever leaving.
“I remember when radios first appeared – some people said Judgment Day was coming because 'iron had started speaking'.” Then with TV, people believed it was another sign of the apocalypse. My grandmother, may she rest in peace, would cover her face when a male news anchor came on screen. It was all so new and strange.”
Saudi Arabia is now a major player in film production. Films from the kingdom have been screened at Cannes, Venice and other film festivals. Al Hasawi says this makes him very optimistic.
“I remember when we used to make short films with limited resources and no funding. But once the Film Commission was established, there was strong support – both for short and feature films,” he says.
“Now we have fantasy films, action, comedy – we’re telling our stories. This is crucial – getting Saudi artistic voices out to the world. For years, we've watched international films in theatres or on TV. Now Saudi art is reaching global audiences.”
Al Hasawi has appeared in 45 theatre productions, 90 television series and 15 films. He has not acted in a theatre production for a while, but misses the stage every day, likening the experience to being at a football match.
“Sure, you can watch it on TV, but being in the stadium is a completely different experience. It’s immersive. The emotions of the crowd, the cheers, the reactions – all of that adds layers to the moment,” Al Hasawi says,
“Theatre is the same. When you're there, it's an event, a connection.”
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
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- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
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Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
