The Embassy of Japan held a “Japanese Film Festival” as part of the yearlong celebration of the 60th anniversary of Japanese-Saudi diplomatic relations.

Five films were shown in cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information.

“The films were screened for the first time in Saudi Arabia. The audience enjoyed watching the films and expressed their appreciation during and after the event,” the embassy said in a statement.

In the opening ceremony, Charge d’Affaires Katshuhiko Takahashi, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Information for support. He said, “Cultural events in this anniversary year introduce various aspects of Japanese life to the Kingdom — from traditional ways to pop culture. This event seeks to show life and culture in Japan through short films.”

Seigo Tono, festival director of the Short Films Festival in Japan, visited Riyadh for the event and gave a detailed explanation on each film.

The embassy said the Second Saudi Film Festival in Dammam last month was a clear indication that “there are good audiences in the Kingdom for such events, and that films have major roles in reaching a number of people with true messages.”

“The Embassy of Japan continues to look for opportunities to introduce Japanese films to Saudi audiences,” it said.