The road movie “Hijra” by Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen, centering on the bond formed between different generations of Saudi women during a journey through the desert, has been selected as a Saudi candidate for the Oscar in the international feature film category.
“Hijra” is the second feature film by Ameen whose first work, the feminist fable “Scales”, was a Saudi candidate for the Oscars in 2020.
Filmed across a vast expanse of desert and in several Saudi cities and urban areas, including Jeddah, Medina, AlUla and Neom, “Hijra” had a positive premiere in September in the Spotlight section of the Venice Film Festival.
The film centers on 12-year-old Janna, who embarks on a journey to Mecca to perform the Hajj – the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca – with her strict grandmother Sitti and her rebellious 18-year-old sister Sarah. But before reaching their destination, Sarah disappears, forcing Janna and Sitti to embark on a tense and urgent search.
“Hijra” features an all-Saudi cast, including Kharia Nathmy As You, Nawaf Al-Dhafiri and newcomer Lamar Fadan as Janna, with the year’s Alem making a special appearance.
“Representing my country at the Oscars for the second time is a profound honor and a reflection of the positive transformation of Saudi cinema,” Ameen said in a statement. “Hijra” was one of the most challenging projects of my career. We filmed in remote areas because we believed in the urgency of this story, a story of Saudi women across generations, told to the world from the heart of our history,” she added.
“Hijra” is a co-production between Saudi Arabia’s Film AlUla film commission, the Red Sea Film Festival Foundation, Beit Ameen Production, the Iraqi Independent Film Center and Ideation Studios.
The film is produced by Faisal Baltyour, alongside co-producers Ayman Jamal, Mohamed Alawi and Egyptian Mohamed Hefzy through its subsidiary Film Clinic. Also present as production partners are Ali Al-Daradji of Human Film, Abboud Ayyash of Three Arts and Sayed Abou Haidar.
Baltyour’s CineWaves will handle distribution in Saudi Arabia, while Film Clinic Indie Distribution will handle distribution rights in the Arab world. International sales of “Hijra” are handled by the Iraqi Independent Cinema Center.
AMPAS will unveil the 15 films preselected in the international feature film category on December 16.
