From Film Screenings to a National Pavilion: Five Years of Saudi Presence at TIFF

Over the past five years, Saudi Arabia's presence at the Toronto International Film Festival has evolved from films and co-productions appearing in the official programme to a more established institutional presence. Since 2023, that participation has included a dedicated Saudi pavilion bringing together organizations involved in the Kingdom's film industry, alongside Saudi films selected for TIFF programmes.

One of the early signs of that presence came in 2021, when TIFF hosted the world premiere of "Farha," directed by Darin J. Sallam. The film was listed as a Jordanian, Swedish and Saudi Arabian co-production and screened in the Contemporary World Cinema programme. There was no national Saudi pavilion at the time, but the screening marked an early Saudi-linked production in TIFF's official selection.

In 2022, the Saudi presence moved further into the industry side of the festival. Film AlUla took part in Toronto and held a networking event attended by producers, film organizations and international industry representatives. Its presence focused on introducing AlUla as a filming destination and connecting with professionals working across international production.

A more significant shift came in 2023, when the Saudi Film Commission established a Saudi pavilion at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival in cooperation with several organizations from the Kingdom's film sector. Participants included Film AlUla, NEOM, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture "Ithra," the Red Sea Film Foundation and the Saudi Film Festival. The pavilion showcased Saudi films and developments within the Kingdom's growing film industry.

The 2023 pavilion coincided with a notable Saudi presence in TIFF's film programme. Three films connected directly to the Kingdom screened at the festival: "Mandoob Al-Layl," directed by Ali Kalthami, "Hajjan," directed by Abu Bakr Shawky, and "Naga," directed by Meshal Aljaser. "Mandoob Al-Layl" and "Hajjan" were selected for the Discovery programme, while "Naga" screened in Midnight Madness.

"Mandoob Al-Layl" had its world premiere at TIFF and follows a man navigating Riyadh after losing his job and turning to delivery work. "Hajjan," a co-production between Ithra and Film Clinic, tells the story of a young boy and his camel against a Saudi desert setting. Together, the films gave the Saudi presence at TIFF a public-facing dimension beyond the activities taking place inside the pavilion.

The Saudi Film Commission returned to Toronto in 2024 with another dedicated pavilion, accompanied by an official delegation and Saudi filmmakers. The pavilion presented Saudi film projects and initiatives while highlighting opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

That presence continued in 2025. The Film Commission again operated a dedicated pavilion showcasing recent Saudi projects and initiatives, as well as opportunities related to production and distribution in the Kingdom. The delegation included Film Commission representatives and Saudi filmmakers, with the programme also promoting filming locations and international co-production opportunities.

The 2025 festival also hosted the world premiere of "Unidentified," directed by Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour and supported through the Film Commission's Daw programme. Its selection once again placed a Saudi film in TIFF's official programme alongside the Kingdom's industry presence at the festival.

From the screening of "Farha" in 2021 and Film AlUla's industry activity in 2022 to the establishment of a Saudi pavilion in 2023 and its return in subsequent editions, the form of Saudi participation in Toronto has steadily expanded. It now combines film screenings with industry promotion, production opportunities, filming locations and direct engagement with producers, distributors and filmmakers attending one of North America's leading international film festivals.