Vertigo Films & Haifaa Al Mansour Join Saudi Female Filmmaker Program

UK production company Vertigo Films (Monsters, Britannia, Bronson) and pioneering Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour (The Perfect Candidate, Wadjda) have come on board a Film AlUla program aimed at mentoring emerging female Saudi filmmakers. The initiative, bannered the AlUla Creates’ Saudi Women Director Program, was first announced this year at Cannes Film Festival, alongside news that Katie Holmes was also getting involved. Vertigo, Al Mansour and Holmes will work together to select and then support three emerging female filmmakers from Saudi Arabia. Submissions for the program run until August 31. “When I first started making films the idea of working as a female Saudi director seemed outlandish. But I knew that the world was curious to hear from us, to hear our side of the story, and that films from home would strike a chord with audiences around the world,” said Al Mansour,...