Ibrahim Al Hajjaj and Basma Dawoud’s Esaaf Premieres at the Saudi Film Festival

Saudi star Ibrahim Al Hajjaj and prominent star Basma Dawoud bring their latest film Esaaf to the spotlight as it competes in the feature film category at the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, running from April 17 to 23. The festival screening aligns with the film’s nationwide theatrical release across Saudi Arabia.
Esaaf marks Basma Dawoud’s debut in Saudi cinema, where she takes on the role of Lina, an Egyptian woman living in Riyadh. Her life becomes intertwined with Omar (played by Ibrahim Al Hajjaj) and Khaled (Mohammad Al Qahtany), two paramedics navigating the intense and unpredictable world of emergency response in the Saudi capital.
Filmed entirely in Riyadh, Esaaf provided Dawoud with the opportunity to immerse herself in a new creative landscape. The film is a joint production by House of Comedy and Black Light Productions and holds the distinction of being the first Arabic-language film shot using IMAX technology.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Colin Teague, Esaaf features a stellar ensemble cast including Ibrahim Al Hajjaj, Mohammad Al Qahtany, and Basma Dawoud, alongside Hassan Assiri, Faisal Al Dukhi, Ahmed Fahmi, Ali Ibrahim, Latifa Al Mejren, Fahad Al Butairi, Nermin Mohsen, Mahdi Nasser, Saeed Saleh, Mohannad Al Saleh, and Banderita.