Saudi Film Nights will make its South African debut in October, showcasing contemporary Saudi cinema through screenings and filmmaker Q&As in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
Saudi Film Nights will bring four contemporary Saudi films to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town in October 2026. Picture: Supplied
Saudi Film Nights will make its South African debut in October, bringing contemporary Saudi films to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
The programme will run from 8 to 14 October 2026. It is presented by the Joburg Film Festival (JFF) on behalf of the Saudi Film Commission.
The programme features two feature films and two short films across four screenings. Post-screening question-and-answer sessions will give audiences an opportunity to engage with attending Saudi filmmakers.
Screening schedule
The tour opens in Johannesburg at the Lesedi Theatre at Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein.
Night Courier will screen on Thursday, 8 October, followed by Irtizaz on Friday, 9 October.
The programme then moves to Durban, where Siwar and First Funeral Day will screen at The Playhouse Company’s Drama Theatre on Sunday, 11 October.
The same two films will close the tour at Cape Town’s Labia Theatre on Wednesday, 14 October.
Films explore family, relationships and social issues
The four films explore themes ranging from dark humour and family drama to social issues and personal relationships.
Night Courier follows Fahad, a struggling delivery driver working in Riyadh after dark. His need for money draws him into a dangerous illegal world.
Irtizaz centres on a young divorcee attending a funeral. Her mother pushes her into an uncomfortable contest for approval, exploring the pressures surrounding marriage.
Inspired by true events, Siwar follows a Saudi and a Turkish family whose lives change after DNA tests reveal that their children were accidentally switched at birth.
First Funeral Day tells the story of an estranged father who returns to his former home after the death of his child. His return forces the family to confront grief, distance and long-held truths.
Joburg Film Festival manager Taryn Joffe said the programme features films with different stories and perspectives.
“There is no single way into a country’s cinema, and that is what makes Saudi Film Nights exciting: these four films offer very different stories and points of view,” Joffe said.
She said the festival was committed to bringing international cinema to South African audiences and filmmakers.
“JFF is committed to bringing distinctive international cinema into conversation with South African audiences and filmmakers, and we are honoured to collaborate with the Saudi Film Commission on its first South African presentation and to deepen creative relationships between our film communities,” she said.
