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We’ve had genies of the playful, wish-granting “Thief of Baghdad” type, and more recently quite a number of evil djinn in horror movies. But it’s hard to recall a prior screen portrait of the same malleable Arabic mythological creatures quite like “Hwjn,” which takes the cuddlesome, anthropomorphic “They’re just like us, only magical!” view of Pixar animations and such in depicting modern-day jinn (the term’s more accurate translation) who invisibly live alongside humans.

Yasir Alyasiri’s visually appealing fantasy, which kicked off the Red Sea Film Fest, is at times too innocuous in tone and pedestrian in story ideas. But it’s nonetheless a slick, pleasant diversion that should attract viewers eager for an approximation of CGI-heavy western family entertainments, albeit with up-front Arabic cultural and Muslim religious emphases. The Saudi Arabia-United Arab Emirates coproduction opens commercially in S.A. on Jan. 4.

Drawn from sci-fi author...

Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “Hwjn” has been chosen as the opening film of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival.

The fest’s third edition is set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore, which is also the city where “Hwjn” is set. The fantasy is based on the YA novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas which was a local literary phenomenon due to its pioneering combination of Western sci-fi tropes and Arabic culture and folklore.

Set in modern-day Jeddah, “Hwjn” follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn – as invisible creatures in pre-Islamic Arabia and later in Islamic culture and beliefs are known – as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage. The protagonist, named Baraa Alem, goes on an epic journey to reclaim his birthright and maintain his mental balance between the human and supernatural worlds.

“Hwjn” is one...

Shahid Launches ‘Period Market’ Landmark With Global Cast

Middle Eastern streamer Shahid has launched Period Market, a landmark period drama featuring a global cast from across Emea, filmed in more than 100 locations .The show, which comes from Kuwaiti writer Heba Mashari Hamada and Tunisian director Lassaad Oueslat, tells five stories taking place simultaneously in different parts of the world that differ in detail but intersect as each protagonist falls into slavery. The multi-national cast includes Fayez Bin Jurays, Apeksha Porwal, Al Anoud Saud and Janique Charles. Shahid owner Mbc said Period Market was filmed across more than 100 locations with 70 main cast members and more than 17,000 extras. It is another demonstration of the region’s dedication to major TV landmarks. Saudi Arabia now has a tax break in place and is working on other big-budget offerings such as fantasy series Rise of the Witches.

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