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RIYADH: With its national premiere, the latest Saudi horror film “Junoon,” directed by brothers Maan B. and Yaser B., kicked off early for Halloween, bringing new meaning to the genre in the kingdom’s cinematic history.
On Wednesday, the premiere was held at Riyadh City Boulevard, the largest cinema in Saudi Arabia, and was attended by 485 guests, media personalities, content creators and filmmakers. The campaign also hired extras to play bloody zombie victims.
A group of young creators set out to discover the most paranormal activity at Suicide Rock, California, enlisted the help of American vloggers. During their journey to Los Angeles, an interesting adventure they think they are embarking on leads them down a dark and dangerous path.
“The style of the shot that was found was very unique and it was a bit difficult to make. We spent three years making the film…it’s a unique style, it has a lot of spontaneity, it reflects reality. People always check their Social media, the characters they see in the film reflect that,” co-director and star Maan B. told Arab News.
The film features a Saudi-majority cast that includes Maan B, Ida Alkusay, Saleh Alem, Sumaya Rida, and Brazilian filmmaker Noan Ribeiro.
The film features a Saudi-majority cast that includes Maan B, Ida Alkusay, Saleh Alem and Sumaya Rida.
This story is inspired by Maan’s experience living in a building full of Vine influencers whose job it is to attract the highest level of views and social media engagement.
“That’s where the idea was born, from chasing fame and what you would do with content. I saw it before my eyes; Aspects come together,” Mann said.
He credits screenwriters Marwan Mokbel and Pedro Paulo Araujo for bringing the concept to life.
The Logan Paul scandal dominated the news at the time, with a social media personality posting a video of a man hanging himself in Japan’s suicide forest, which was later criticized by the public.
Thus, the character of a person who wants to be famous is born, and to achieve this goal, whatever the cost.
“Our society, especially the Arab society, the Muslims, they believe in the supernatural (power). It’s part of the culture, it’s part of the religion, it’s part of everything. It’s something we plant when we’re young. We want to incorporate supernatural horror. , rather than zombie or monster-related stuff, something we don’t believe in. It’s something in our culture that we probably believe more in, so it’s more relevant to us,” Talha B., producer of consultancy Talha B. “Junoon,” told Arab news.
While the public premiere date wasn’t planned for Halloween, he admitted it was a happy coincidence. “It’s almost unbelievable that this happened, so it’s in our favor,” Talha said.
Alqusey, who plays Gigi in the film, said it was her first film project while filming. Seeing this production on the biggest screen in Saudi Arabia brought pride and a sense of accomplishment.
“It was an amazing experience. We had a lot of difficulties – there were scorpions, spiders. . . we actually had to go through all the events we went through. Scripting is an optional type of thing; we just go rogue a lot, “Alkusay said.
“Even though in our culture we don’t celebrate Halloween, it’s the perfect Halloween movie for all the people who celebrate here, and it’s also made in Arabic,” she said.
The film belongs to this newly established local genre, which follows other Saudi films such as the 2016 film “Madayen”, the 2018 short “Don’t Go Too Far” and the 2022 thriller “Kayan”, the last premieres in theaters in May. Another film, Cello, written by GEA president Turki Alalshikh, ended filming last year and is said to premiere in 2022.
“I think what’s special about[the film]is that it’s not pure horror, but comedy, adventure and some thrillers. The style of footage found often makes it lifelike, and this realism shocks or frightens the audience. That’s what I love about the film,” co-director Yaser B. told Arab News.
Ultimately, the film proves that the Saudi creator has the talent and passion to shoot all genres. Direct government support for arts and entertainment under Vision 2030 goals, this film is just the beginning of showcasing the capabilities of Saudi filmmakers.
“The first thing we need from Saudi audiences is to believe in Saudi films,” Arthur said.
His brother Talha agrees: “They should trust Saudi stories and Saudi talent more than giving all the talent or money to[others]. Our people are kind; there are stories , have talent, so give them a chance to create.”
The film has toured several festivals, winning the “Best Feature Film” award at the Fattenhama Film Festival and the “Best Cinematography” award at the French NICE International Film Festival. It has also been selected for the Malmo Arab Film Festival and the Red Sea International Film Festival.
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