Saudi Arabia’s cinematic creations are making waves internationally, and this year, it’s arriving in one of Europe’s most iconic cultural venues: the Abbazia in Venice.

From August 28 to September 6, 2025, the Saudi Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, is presenting Discover Saudi Cinema, a curated showcase of nine short films that reflect the Kingdom’s evolving creative identity. The program takes place alongside the Venice Film Festival and highlights a wave of new Saudi storytelling.

Donkey Race Saudi Film Venice

Image via IG Donkey Race Film

Film buffs can expect a fantastic line-up of Saudi short films that include:

This event is part of a broader cultural initiative, The Saudi Ministry of Culture in Abbazia, which runs through to November 23, 2025, and coincides with the Venice Architecture Biennale.

From dark comedies, surreal stories, poetic documentaries, and intimate dramas fill the screen, each exploring themes of identity, tradition, grief, community, and creative self-expression, these film directors are leaning into what matters most to them: culture, identity, and everyday life, and each piece carries its own voice. Together, these creatives are making the case that Saudi cinema belongs on the international stage.

Zaki Alabdullah Behind the scenes film 2

Image via IG Zaki Alabdullah

But the program isn’t only about screenings. On August 29, the Abbazia will host a panel titled “The Saudi Film Industry: Crafting Cinematic Success.” The discussion brings together directors, producers, and cultural figures to explore how a Saudi cinematic identity is taking shape, while discussing its possibilities, its challenges, and its role in reflecting a society that is rapidly changing.

The showcase is part of the Ministry of Culture’s wider ‘Saudi Ministry of Culture in Abbazia’ project, in collaboration with the Saudi Film Commission, running from May 10 to November 23, 2025, in parallel with Saudi Arabia’s participation in the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale. While the Biennale focuses on design and the built environment, the film program extends the Kingdom’s presence into cinema, showing how film can connect cultures.

Discover Saudi Cinema at Abbazia Building, Venice, Italy
From August 28 – September 6, 2025
@moc
moc.gov.sa

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