You have a growing market that starves for film. “The good thing here is that you have a big market that we don’t have in Cyprus. “Coming from a small country, it’s very important to have this opportunity to exchange and understand each other’s culture through cinema,” Piperides said. While there were only 14 movie theaters on the island, Saudi is currently home to more than 50 sites. You have to find your own voice,” Piperides said.Īs the independent film scene in Europe is struggling, and funding is becoming harder to acquire, it is a marvel that the Saudi film industry is on the rise, the filmmaker said. If you can do that, and you can share a local story that will appeal to somebody from Cyprus or somebody from France, that’s the bet that you have to try and win. “I think it’s (about trying) to find a way to tell something locally, but with international appeal. Since the film market is competitive, the filmmaker hones in on the importance of giving an audience a reason to pursue a niche film as opposed to bigger, more accessible productions. This demonstration of cultural exchange parallels the initiative of the EuroFest in Riyadh, which aims to expose the Saudi people to international efforts, prompt introductions to Saudi filmmakers, and create a space for discussion. This exchange opportunity allowed him to gain knowledge from the American film industry and contribute to the film scene back home. His film journey began 20 years ago when he came back to Cyprus after completing his studies in the US. “We build our own borders and keep people away, and we create this fear for the unknown.” The filmmaker hopes to create a political discourse, share the story based on his own experience and get people to discuss “the nature of borders,” he told Arab News. The film consists of strong political and legal commentary of the issue in Cyprus, packaged in a feel-good arthouse comedy. Since the exchange of animals between the countries is prohibited, Yiannis enlists the help of a Turkish settler to retrieve his dog. His plans are disrupted by his dog, Jimi, crossing the border that separates the southern Greek from the Turkish north. “Smuggling Hendricks” is based on a true story that revolves around a struggling musician, Yiannis, who plans to move away. The screening was part of the inaugural one-week European Film Festival, which hosted a series of 14 European films at The Esplanades’ VOX Cinema. RIYADH: Filmmaker Marios Piperides made his way for the first time from his home country of Cyprus to the Kingdom to screen “Smuggling Hendricks” to Saudi audiences in Riyadh on June 16. Saudi Arabia and Thailand announced in January a restoration of full diplomatic ties and a planned exchange of ambassadors after 32 years. Travelers must also attach a hotel reservation for one day, as well as quarantine in one of the approved hotels by the Thai Ministry of Health until the result of a COVID-19 PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before the arrival date is received. The implementation date of the decision to allow the Saudis to enter Thailand without a visa will be announced soon, the embassy added.Ĭitizens entering Thailand must provide a medical insurance certificate for an amount of at least $20,000 via insurance offices, the embassy revealed in March. “The embassy would like to make it clear to Saudi citizens that the government of the Kingdom of Thailand has agreed to enter Saudi citizens without a visa for a period of 30 days free of charge,” the Saudi embassy said. The embassy said the visa exemption period set by the Thai government also came without any fees. LONDON: Thailand has exempted Saudi citizens from entry visas for a 30-day stay, Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Thailand announced on Tuesday.
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