JEDDAH: A film festival will be one of the highlights of the annual Jeddah summer festival, which kicks off on July 15.
A number of local and international movies will be screened between July 18 and 22 as part of the film festival, which will be held at the King Abdulaziz Cultural Center at Abrug Al-Righama east of the Haramain Expressway.
Speaking at a press conference in Obhur Sunday evening to announce the schedule and preparations for the 35-day summer festival dubbed Jeddah Ghair (Jeddah Is Different), Ghazi Al-Sulaimani, deputy mayor for strategic marketing and media, said the municipality has allocated SR8 million to create more than 250 activities for the city’s residents and visitors to enjoy during the summer vacation.
The festival will commence with a fireworks display in Obhur, Al-Sulaimani said. The three main venues for the festival are: Obhur, the King Abdulaziz Cultural Center and the city’s historic Balad district.
Al-Sulaimani said the municipality has created a mixture of activities to cope with the general taste of all age groups and nationalities.
“We are looking to attract more than 3.4 million residents and visitors this year,” he said. Activities will include cultural events, lectures, plays, traditional music and photography and art exhibitions.
Sami Nawwar, head of the Culture and Tourism Department of the Jeddah municipality, said this year’s festival is unique for its diversity of events.
There are events for children, youth and families in addition to sports, entertainment and cultural programs and contests. In collaboration with the General Presidency for Youth Welfare, the municipality will prepare 50 playgrounds around the city for various sporting events, Nawwar said.
He said Obhur would host various shows and contests for motorcycles, 4x4 vehicles, remote-control cars, mountain bikes, modified cars and roller skates.
Family events will include plays and vintage car shows, handicraft and traditional markets, an Indian circus, traditional food and a photography exhibition about Saudi Arabia.
Aside from the film festival, the King Abdulaziz Cultural Center will hold photography and painting contests, art exhibitions and charity bazaars.
The downtown Balad will host various activities, especially at Al-Baiah Square near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
