Hajjan, the latest film from the Palme d'Or-nominated Egyptian director Abu Bakr Shawky, may be set in the present day, but it has the makings of a great fable.
It begins with a young Saudi boy named Matar (Omar Alatawi), who is witnessing the birth of a calf at his family’s camel farm. It’s not going well – the mother dies in the middle of labour, leaving them scrambling to save the life of the calf before it’s too late.
When they finally manage this, it appears to be a still birth. But when the family walks away in sorrow, young Matar stays and begins to sing to the calf, stroking its barely grown fur. As he does this, the camel miraculously springs to life, sparking a sacred bond between the two. He names her Hofira.
Several years ago, Shawky was approached by his producing partner Mohamed Hefzy to discuss a conversation he’d had with the top brass at Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. They were interested in producing a film about a boy and his camel, which initially Shawky didn’t think he was right for. But as he began to imagine this boy and his camel, a much grander tale started to emerge, set in a land of Bedouin legends and the cinematically untapped world of camel racing.
That is where our story takes us next. We jump ahead in time, and now Matar is helping his brother, a successful camel jockey, prepare for the next day’s big race, as they sit around the campfire and recount tall tales of the great camel jockeys in their ancestry.
The race ends in tragedy; Matar’s brother dies, and it seems that Jasser (Abdulmohsen Al Nemer), the devious owner of their rival team, is responsible. Undaunted, Matar volunteers himself and his beloved Hofira for the next race to go up against them, but when he comes in second, his family sells Hofira to the rival team, forcing him to race for his greatest enemy.
Shawky and his co-writers, fellow Egyptian Omar Shama and Saudi Mufarrij Almajfel, crafted an involving and moving tale – a coming of age film that doubles as a sports drama. But as strong as the story is, which also feels like a Shonen anime series waiting to happen, it’s the director who emerges from the film as its greatest star.
HAJJAN
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Each race, as Matar and Hofira fight for first place, is thrillingly staged, with engaging action and its characters vividly placed within it – the emotional stakes clear throughout. We also get a feel of the local culture, with scene-stealing performances from the young local announcer, who races alongside the camels in a car, screaming into a microphone to narrate the affair moment by moment. And with the beauty of Saudi Arabia’s Neom surrounding each scene stunning photographed, the film has a beauty that demands it be seen on the big screen.
It's been less than six years since the kingdom began creating its own film industry, and for local filmmakers one of the greatest challenges has been finding actors who can step up to the challenge, especially given their often limited experience.
While the entire cast does an admirable job handling the proceedings, it’s the film’s young stars, particularly Alatawi, who shine the brightest. He never seems to be out of his depth even with the range of emotions he’s forced to capture. He has a unique look and eminently expressive face that should prove versatile as he moves forward with his career. Filmmakers take note – this may be the best young actor in the Gulf.
The question now will be whether Saudi Arabia itself embraces the film when it hits cinemas on January 18, particularly as it is directed by a non-Saudi. As of now, there has not been much of a marketing push from Ithra, so it’s hard to know if the film will reach its great potential in cinemas.
Perhaps a streaming platform will help give it the long life that it deserves, as this may be the most accessible Saudi film released for audiences around the globe since 2012’s Wadjda, directed by seasoned filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour long before filming in the country became the norm.
If you get the chance to see Hajjan in cinemas, however, don’t pass it up. Otherwise, when it does find its audience down the line, you’ll wish you’d seen it as it’s meant to be seen.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The years Ramadan fell in May
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The%20specs
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
LIGUE 1 FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Nice v Angers (9pm)
Lille v Monaco (10.45pm)
Saturday
Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain (7pm)
Bordeaux v Guingamp (10pm)
Caen v Amiens (10pm)
Lyon v Dijon (10pm)
Metz v Troyes (10pm)
Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Rennes (5pm)
Strasbourg v Nantes (7pm)
Marseille v Toulouse (11pm)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HAJJAN
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