Saudi surrealist filmmaker Meshal Al-Jaser talks AlUla, tasheer, and ‘Gunpowder’ 

Saudi surrealist filmmaker Meshal Al-Jaser talks AlUla, tasheer, and ‘Gunpowder’ 
A still from 'Gunpowder.' (Supplied)
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Updated 01 April 2025
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Saudi surrealist filmmaker Meshal Al-Jaser talks AlUla, tasheer, and ‘Gunpowder’ 

Saudi surrealist filmmaker Meshal Al-Jaser talks AlUla, tasheer, and ‘Gunpowder’ 
  • The Saudi filmmaker’s viral music video explores otherworldly landscapes and traditional dance

ALULA: For the video of the latest track from his electronic music project Arabian Alien, Saudi filmmaker Meshal Al-Jaser headed to the heart of AlUla’s dramatic desert landscape. “Gunpowder” blends striking visuals with Al-Jaser’s signature surrealist touch. 

The track, created with his bandmate Mohammed Alhamdan, explores themes of heartbreak and disillusion, using the raw beauty of AlUla to amplify its message. 

“It’s about tragedy,” Al-Jaser tells Arab News. “It’s about someone who’s trying to cope with getting his heart broken.” 




Meshal Al-Jaser. (Supplied)

The video has racked up more than 1.7 million YouTube views in the first month of its release, thanks to its arresting visuals, especially of the Hejazi war dance, tasheer, which involves firing rifles into the ground as the wielder jumps into the air, sending a dramatic display of fire and gunpowder under their feet. 

“I was always fascinated by tasheer, in terms of visuals,” says Al-Jaser. “A lot of the tribes in Hejaz practice it. And, like many other Saudi dances, it really originates from trying to intimidate the enemy. With time, it became more of a celebratory dance that they do at weddings and such. 

“For years, I really wanted to capture it the right way, because it requires a lot of elements to come together,” he continues. “What’s specifically fascinating about it for me is really the precision and the skills of the people that do it. You have to jump at the right time, point in the right direction, shoot at the right time and land at the right time. It’s not a simple dance. It requires a lot of skill.” 




Shooting the video for 'Gunpowder' in AlUla. (Supplied)

“Gunpowder,” is an extension of Al-Jaser’s mission to capture the true essence of Saudi culture. “I don’t want to change anything in it or bend it around, as much as I just want to capture it in the way I view it,” he says. 

Shooting against the towering sandstone cliffs and vast desert landscape of AlUla was also a treat. “I was really mindblown. It’s one of the most unique locations in the world. It’s very diverse. Every piece of it feels like a whole different world. So, when (Film AlUla) approached me (to shoot a video there), I already knew it was going to look good because of the environment,” Al-Jaser says. “One of the biggest challenges was that we only had two days to shoot it. We were just running around to really try to capture all the essence of the place, because it’s so different.” 

From viral YouTube sketches to acclaimed short films, Al-Jaser’s work has challenged cultural taboos and reimagined Saudi identity through a satirical lens. His storytelling often explores the tension between tradition and modernity, mixing absurdity with sharp cultural commentary. 




Al-Jaser's Arabian Alien bandmate Mohamed Alhamdan. (Supplied)

In 2023, Al-Jaser released his debut feature film, “Naga,” which boldly set out his signature style — provocative, surreal and unafraid to push cultural boundaries. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, is a thriller-horror hybrid set in a dystopian desert landscape. It follows a rebellious young woman named Sarah, who sneaks out to attend a secret party in defiance of her conservative father’s rules. But when she misses her curfew and tries to return home, her night takes a bizarre and terrifying turn. 

“My ultimate dream was always to become a filmmaker and make feature films. So this was just a small step towards that,” Al-Jaser says. “It was very interesting. Anyone you know who has shot a feature film would tell you that it’s the hardest thing they’ve done, because, especially with the first film, you kind of want to do so much with so little, and it’s a whole different experience. 

“I know it’s all directing and storytelling, but, really, the amount of effort it takes to make a feature film as opposed to a short film makes it feel like a whole different medium. So, my experience was very challenging, but at the same time, I also feel really privileged to have done my first feature with Netflix. It was nice for them to really believe in me. And for it to go to Toronto… I’m so thankful for that.” 

Al-Jaser hopes to make his big-screen start as a filmmaker soon. “Hopefully I will make my cinematic debut, because ‘Naga’ was a streaming film,” he says. “I’ve never experienced my film in a cinema and that’s something I’m really looking forward to. 

“I really am attempting to do the best I can. Of course, I feel the weight and the responsibility, since I’m one of the first generation of Saudi filmmakers, but I also feel the privilege of that,” he continues. “If I can stay focused — which is easier said than done — then hopefully everything will fall in the right place.” 


Oman debuts at Venice Biennale with Sablah-inspired pavilion

Oman debuts at Venice Biennale with Sablah-inspired pavilion
Updated 14 May 2025
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Oman debuts at Venice Biennale with Sablah-inspired pavilion

Oman debuts at Venice Biennale with Sablah-inspired pavilion
  • Inspired by Omani ‘Sablah’ communal space
  • Architect Majeda Alhinai fosters connections

DUBAI: The Sultanate of Oman has marked its debut at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with a thought-provoking pavilion titled “Traces,” curated by Omani architect Majeda Alhinai.

Drawing inspiration from the Sablah — Oman’s traditional communal gathering space — the pavilion reimagines this architectural concept as a modern civic space, rooted in cultural continuity and adaptive design.

The pavilion is curated by Omani architect Majeda Alhinai. (Supplied)

Unlike conventional references, the Sablah in “Traces” functions as an architectural method, not merely an aesthetic reference. Its open circulation, shared presence and adaptability are reinterpreted for contemporary public life.

It proposes a new civic space that remains culturally specific while addressing global concerns of collectivity, sustainability and architectural responsibility.

The pavilion’s structure is built entirely from raw aluminum, utilizing a custom system of folded and cut panels.

Each panel is precision-cut with patterns inspired by Omani cultural practices — palm frond weaving, carved wooden doors, and the Falaj irrigation system.

One of the pavilion’s standout features is its commitment to sustainability and reuse. The entire assembly is designed for easy disassembly and transportation, ensuring no material loss.

Following the Biennale, the structure will be permanently installed in Oman, maintaining its scale and purpose as a civic gathering space.

Curator Majeda Alhinai said: “The pavilion is not a symbol of tradition. It is a working model for how civic space can be reimagined through inherited systems of making, maintenance, and adaptation.”

The Omani pavilion opened on May 10 and will be at the venue until Nov. 23.


Arab stars, designers shine at the Cannes Film Fest

Arab stars, designers shine at the Cannes Film Fest
Updated 14 May 2025
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Arab stars, designers shine at the Cannes Film Fest

Arab stars, designers shine at the Cannes Film Fest
  • Bella Hadid, Shanina Shaik among top models
  • Dresses by designers Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab

DUBAI: Arab stars and designers made a strong appearance at the 78th Cannes Film Festival this week, with supermodels Bella Hadid and Shanina Shaik in black gowns and Heidi Klum wearing a voluminous dress by Elie Saab.

Guests arrived at the festival’s opening in a variety of statement designs.

Hadid appeared with a new blonde hair color. (Getty Images)

Hadid, who is American, Dutch and Palestinian, appeared with a new blonde hair color. She wore a black floor-length gown with a draped asymmetrical neckline, fitted silhouette, high slit and low back.

She accessorized with statement earrings from Chopard, set with green gemstones, along with a matching ring.

Shanina Shaik wore a black strapless gown featuring a structured bodice. (Getty Images)

Shaik, the Australia-born model of Saudi, Pakistani and Lithuanian descent, wore a black strapless gown featuring a structured bodice made of smooth, matte fabric.

The dress included a wide, embellished peplum detail at the hips, covered in crystals and beads. The skirt was made of sheer, glittering fabric decorated with teardrop-shaped embellishments and extended into a small train.

Klum chose a pink gown from Saab’s collection “The 1001 Season of Elie Saab,” that was presented in Riyadh.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Heidi Klum (@heidiklum)

The strapless dress was designed with layered pink fabric shaped like large petals. It featured a high front slit and a long train, with the petal-like layers covering the entire gown from bodice to floor.

Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad also had a presence on the red carpet.

Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio wore a strapless gown in metallic green fabric by Murad. The dress had a sweetheart neckline, draped detailing gathered at the waist and a thigh-high slit. She paired it with matching green textured sleeves.

Arab stars attending the event included Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim, Lebanese reality TV personality Alice Abdel Aziz and presenter Raya Abirached.

Khalil wore a light pink gown by Lebanese designer Rami Kadi, featuring a fitted bodice with a halter-style neckline. The dress included a tiered skirt decorated with multiple layers of feathered trims.

Njeim opted for a light pink gown by Tamara Ralph. (Getty Images)

Njeim also opted for a light pink gown by Tamara Ralph. The strapless dress featured a draped neckline and a fitted, corset-style bodice. The waist was accented with a decorative embellishment shaped like a flower.

She completed the look with jewelry from MARLI New York’s high jewelry collection, specifically the CLEO Sculpt pieces.


Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface

Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface
Updated 13 May 2025
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Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface

Art exhibition reveals lost worlds buried beneath Lebanon’s surface
  • Rubble of cities, Palestinian refugee camps, and construction sites was rearranged into images and transparent capsules
  • Artists, guided by archaeologists, present the city’s entangled history through sculptural forms echoing both the soil and red sand used to cover the land

BEIRUT: Art lovers may embark on an astonishing exploration with Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige into the depths of the waters and soil of Lebanon in search of the hidden secrets of its unseen subterranean worlds.

At the Sursock Museum on Beirut’s historic Sursock Street, Hadjithomas and Joreige have unveiled the results of a decade of research and experimentation in an exhibition titled “Remembering the Light.”

This exhibition serves as a transcendent experience that explores various expressive forms, delving into reflections on time, memory, and the profound transformations of cities, bodies, and history.

The outcome of this research has taken the form of artistic installations, photographs, and sculptures that narrate the intricacies of archaeology, infused with imaginative elements and references to fragility and permanence.

These works evoke perspectives on materiality, memory, and undiscovered narratives, delving into what is buried, forgotten or obscured, at depths reaching 45 meters in a remarkable journey through time.

The exhibition derives its title from a video produced in 2016, in which the two artists explored the spectrum of light underwater and the glow emanating from its depths, addressing the present by collaborating with geologists, archaeologists, poets, divers, and scientists.

The artists said that through the exhibition’s paintings is shown how “unexpected phenomena occur underwater. Sensory perception changes as one descends deeper into the water. The light spectrum diminishes and colors fade, with red disappearing first, followed by orange, yellow, green, and blue, until everything is engulfed in darkness. However, when the dark seabed is illuminated, the obstacles recall the memory of light and reflect it.”

Hadjithomas and Joreige state that the experience undertaken by the divers they enlisted mirrors the dangers faced by migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. They accompanied this with a scene of a scarf cascading downward, symbolizing memories of a war submerged over time.

The exhibition features a pile of earth layers bearing the material traces of archaeological and geological times in the cities of Beirut, Nahr Al-Bared in northern Lebanon, and Tripoli, completed over the past decade.

The rubble of cities, Palestinian refugee camps, and construction sites was rearranged into images and transparent capsules, revealing shattered scenes of people’s lives over time. The land has therefore turned into a notebook on which Hadjithomas and Joreige recorded the erased stories.

One unfolds in Nahr Al-Bared (Cold River Bed) camp, which was established in 1948 and destroyed after the 100-day conflict in 2007 between Fateh Al-Islam and the Lebanese Army. As reconstruction efforts began and rubble was cleared, layers of archaeological ruins unexpectedly surfaced: the remains of the mythical Roman city of Orthosia, believed to have been destroyed by a tsunami in 551 AD.

At the exhibition, the artists, guided by archaeologists, present the city’s entangled history through sculptural forms echoing both the soil and red sand used to cover the land.

A slideshow of images or testimonies narrates a story that vertiginously weaves together human displacement, military conflict, and archaeological discovery.

Matter extracted from core samples — soil, rocks, clay, and limestone — is carefully stored for analysis by engineers, prior to any construction.

Guided by those archeologists and geologists, the artists collected and re-sculpted these remains of buried worlds to make visible the imprints of successive human occupations, ecological upheavals, and lost civilizations.

History does not unfold as a coherent succession of chronological layers, but rather as a dynamic entanglement of epochs, marked by ruptures, where traces and civilizations intermingle.

Joreige dedicated part of the exhibition to his uncle, who was abducted in 1985 during the Lebanese civil war, piecing together some of his memories.

He gathered whatever undeveloped films he could from his abandoned home, each lasting 180 seconds, and before they faded, he printed them on blank sheets, producing faint impressions that could only be deciphered by looking closely.

Joreige describes them as “an attempt to resist disappearance.”

He said: “It’s a form of mourning that has yet to find closure, memories that have faded but won’t disappear.”


Bella Hadid describes ‘excruciating pain’ of living with Lyme disease

Bella Hadid describes ‘excruciating pain’ of living with Lyme disease
Updated 14 May 2025
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Bella Hadid describes ‘excruciating pain’ of living with Lyme disease

Bella Hadid describes ‘excruciating pain’ of living with Lyme disease
  • Dutch-Palestinian supermodel was diagnosed with the illness in 2012
  • ‘Sometimes, if I can get in the shower and make myself breakfast, I see that as an accomplishment’

LONDON: Dutch-Palestinian supermodel Bella Hadid has described living with chronic pain due to Lyme disease in an interview with Vogue.

Hadid, 28, was first diagnosed with the disease in 2012. Her mother Yolanda and brother Anwar were also diagnosed.

The supermodel told the magazine that she suffers from headaches, brain fog, light and noise sensitivity, inflammation and joint pain.

Lyme disease can also cause depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which Hadid has also reportedly suffered from. The condition is a bacterial infection that can spread to humans through infected ticks.

Hadid said she often feels down on herself “for being so sensitive,” adding: “I think nobody really understands chronic illness. It’s hard to take a shower most days, which I promise, guys, if you’re reading this, I shower every day.

“But sometimes, if I have one day off, if I can get in the shower and make myself breakfast, I see that as an accomplishment.”

In 2020, Hadid used Instagram to describe the illness as an “invisible disease.” She shared a diagram outlining the symptoms, saying: “Everyday I feel at least 10 of these attributes without fail ... since I was probably 14, but more aggressively when I turned 18.”

Symptoms often subside months after an infection, but a minority of people who are diagnosed can experience them for years.

Hadid told Vogue: “Our interview today was at 3 p.m. I was in excruciating pain until 11 a.m. and had a very tough morning.”

The illness is usually treated with a course of antibiotics prescribed by a GP. Those experiencing severe symptoms may be given stronger antibiotics.


Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia

Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia
Updated 13 May 2025
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Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia

Princess Reema bint Bandar wears Honayda design to welcome President Trump to Saudi Arabia

DUBAI: Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, wore a bespoke creation by Saudi designer Honayda Serafi during President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh.

The ensemble consisted of a royal blue floor-length abaya with detailed gold embroidery. The symmetrical patterns extended across the bodice and sleeves, while smaller gold motifs were scattered throughout the lower part of the garment. The dignitary’s look was completed with a matching blue headscarf.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HONAYDA (@honaydaofficial)

 

Honayda Serafi, founder of Honayda, shared a statement on Princess Reema’s appearance on Instagram, saying: “I am so pleased and deeply proud to see HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar, our remarkable Saudi Ambassador to the United States, standing as a symbol of strength, progress and leadership, as one of the first women to break barriers and champion women’s empowerment. 

“It is a special moment to see her shine as she welcomes President Trump on his historic visit to Riyadh, wearing a bespoke piece by Honayda for this significant occasion. I look forward to sharing more about the inspiration behind this design,” she added. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Reema B Al-Saud (@rbsalsaud)

Serafi is known for dressing prominent figures across the Middle East and the rest of the world. Celebrities who have worn her designs include Priyanka Chopra, Lupita Nyong’o and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein of Jordan.  

 

She is a favorite of Saudi-born Princess Rajwa and dressed the royal for her henna night festivities in in 2023 and for Jordanian King Abdullah II’s silver jubilee celebrations in Amman in 2024.

The ensemble consisted of a royal blue floor-length abaya with detailed gold embroidery. (Instagram)

Meanwhile, Princess Reema’s participation in Trump’s visit highlighted the long-standing partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US. Writing in The Washington Times this week, she described the visit as “a moment pivotal for global peace, security and prosperity.

“Today, as the world navigates new challenges and conflicts, that partnership is more critical than ever,” she said.

Princess Reema, who presented her credentials to Trump in 2019 when assuming her role as ambassador, said the two nations’ alliance was “not just history; it is a reimagined future.”