The Joburg Film Festival has partnered with the Saudi Film Commission to bring Saudi Film Nights to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town from October 8 to 14, 2026.
The touring programme is an international initiative of the Saudi Film Commission, which falls under Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.
The Commission works to develop the Kingdom’s film sector, support local filmmakers and build relationships with film communities abroad.
South Africa is the latest international stop for the Saudi Film Nights programme, expanding on a global initiative that originally debuted across four cities in France inn2023 before traveling to Australia for screenings in Sydney and Melbourne in 2024.
Local audiences will see four Saudi short films across the three cities with each screening followed by a Q&A with visiting Saudi filmmakers.
The festival has also built its reputation on spotlighting budding South African filmmakers. This partnership extends that work into a two-way cultural exchange, rather than a one-off screening tour.
Taryn Joffe, Festival Manager at the Joburg Film Festival, welcomed the exchange.
“There is no single way into a country’s cinema, and that is what makes Saudi Film Nights exciting,” she said.
She said the four films “offer South African audiences the chance to encounter Saudi cinema through different perspectives, the filmmakers themselves and the worlds they bring to the screen.”
Saudi Film Nights South Africa: screening schedule
The Saudi Film Nights South Africa programme will visit three cities in October, with different pairs of short films scheduled in each location.
- Johannesburg — October 8-9: Lesedi Theatre, Joburg Theatre — Night Courier + Irtizaz
- Durban — October 11: Drama Theatre, The Playhouse Company — Siwar + First Funeral Day
- Cape Town — October 14: The Labia Theatre — Siwar + First Funeral Day
The Saudi films coming to South Africa
Night Courier
Directed by Ali Kalthami, Night Courier is set against the streets of Riyadh.
The film follows Fahad, a struggling delivery driver whose urgent need for money draws him into a dangerous and illicit world.
Irtizaz
Directed by Sara Balghonaim, Irtizaz follows a young divorcee attending a funeral who finds herself pushed by her mother into an unexpected contest for approval — and marriage.
The short takes a sharp and playful look at marriage pressure and social expectations.
Siwar
Directed by Osama Alkhurayji, Siwar is inspired by true events.
It follows a Saudi-Turkish family whose lives are turned upside down when DNA tests reveal that their children were accidentally switched at birth.
First Funeral Day
Directed by Nawaf Hoshan, First Funeral Day follows an estranged father who returns home after the death of his child.
His return forces the family to confront grief, distance and long-held truths.
A new Saudi-South African film exchange
Beyond the screenings, Saudi Film Nights aims to connect Saudi and South African filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences.
The post-screening Q&As will give local audiences an opportunity to meet attending Saudi filmmakers and hear directly about their work and creative perspectives.
For the Joburg Film Festival, the South African debut also creates an opportunity for two film communities to share stories, exchange ideas and explore future creative connections.
