Saudi Arabia has selected Hijrah (Arabic: Hijra), directed by Shahad Ameen, as the country’s entry into the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
Hijrah follows a grandmother and her two granddaughters who are travelling from the south of Saudi Arabia toward Mecca. When the elder granddaughter, Sarah, goes missing before reaching the city, the grandmother and granddaughter (younger) must shift their journey northward to search for her. Their adventure becomes a deep exploration of family, loss, and connection across generations.
The film stars Khairia Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhafiri, and newcomer Lamar Fadan, with a special appearance by Baraa Alem.
Hijrah premiered in the Spotlight Competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival where it won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at Venice, an honor given by the Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema.
The Saudi Film Commission announced that Hijrah was chosen by a committee of prominent Saudi filmmakers and industry experts, through a formal review process. This was the first time the submissions process was open to filmmakers themselves rather than solely via internal nomination.
Watch the first look clip for Hijrah, below.
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