The Poetess

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

2019

One year after the murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a two-hour FRONTLINE documentary investigates the rise and rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia (MBS). Correspondent Martin Smith, who has covered the Middle East for FRONTLINE for 20 years, examines the crown prince’s vision for the future, his handling of dissent, his relationship with the United States — and his ties to Khashoggi’s killing. This Episode can be watched Online at (last Update 18th Oct 24): https://www.pbs.org/video/crown-prince-saudi-arabia-1jt2ey

Horizon

2024

From the turtles of the Farasan Islands to the ibex that dot the Asir Mountains, this documentary captures Saudi Arabia's diverse wildlife and scenery.

The Siege of Mecca

2018

On November 20, 1979 at 5:30 in the morning, hundreds of armed men take over the Grand Mosque of Mecca, transforming the holiest shrine of Islam into a fortress and a trap for almost 100,000 pilgrims inside. This was the beginning of the siege of Mecca…

Shadow World

2016

A detailed investigation into the political and economic interests that, since the beginning of the 20th century, have pulled the strings of the arms trade, hidden in the shadows, feeding the shameful corruption of politicians and government officials and promoting a state of permanent war throughout the world, while they cynically asked for a lasting and universal peace.

Kingdom of Silence

2020

A political thriller examining the complex relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and how the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi amplified entanglements between the two countries.

Death of a Princess

1980

A journalist investigates a newspaper story of the execution of an Arab princess.

Al-Awja 17:47

2025

Inspired by a true event, the film tells the story of a Saudi Tornado aircraft that suffered a sudden technical failure while returning from an operational mission on January 7, 2018. In the heart of the combat zone, as risks escalate, a search and rescue operation is launched to save the crew—a mission that embodies courage and dedication.

Expédition Pétra : sur la piste des Nabatéens

2022

Ajyal

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Three generations of Saudi women reflect on their lives through the decades of dramatic regional cultural, political and religious changes. Ajyal (Generations) begins when Saudi Arabia launched its first school for girls in 1960 and continues through the post-9/11 era.

Ruler in Arabia

2020

The heart of Islam beats on the Arabian Peninsula. For there lies Mecca, the holy city of the Muslims. Almost 100 years ago, one of the peninsula's many clans founded a kingdom there: Saudi Arabia. The rule of the Al Saud is based on a pact that combined, and still combines, strict religious zeal with political calculation.

Arabian Flavours

2022

Join world renowned chefs, Pierre Sang & Cédric Grolet, as they travel Saudi Arabia experiencing new flavours, meeting other chefs and learning Arabic cooking techniques.

معضلة الابتكار

2025

The film shows how creators struggle between using new technology and keeping their ideas original

MBS, the Arabia of the future

2025

For almost a decade, Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, the crown prince and de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, has been shaking up all the pillars of this extraordinary kingdom. The cradle of Islam and the world's leading exporter of crude oil, this Gulf giant has embarked on an unprecedented transformation to meet the existential challenge of the post-oil era. Dreaming of becoming the leader of a stable and prosperous Arab world, MBS is undertaking to transform the austere and rigorous Saudi Arabia into a futuristic utopia. But the rise of tourism, entertainment and the excesses of construction sites are still struggling to make us forget authoritarianism and the repression of opponents. As for the silencing of the religious police, it has not put an end to the oppression of women.

Joud

2018

Using an experimental structure derived from a pre-Islamic poetic form known as the Qasida (ode), this is an ancient poem for modern times. This epic tale traverses the reaches of the Kingdom, taking in 15 distinctive regions and terrains, including Jeddah, Tabuk, Mecca, and Ha’il. An immersive journey across diverse walks of Saudi life, the film sheds light on cultural and geographic treasures, including archeological histories and contemporary realities. Produced by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), the film brings together award-winning Australian director and composer Andrew Lancaster, with co-director Osama Alkhurayji – a Saudi documentary filmmaker, whose timeless and unique narrative draws on the sheer power of sound and image. Free of dialogue, the film is an immersive experience through culture, music, and natural landscape, vibrantly illustrating the dramatic transformations that have forged the Kingdom.

Saudi Solutions

2006

How to combine modernity and fundamentalist Islam. "Saudi Solutions" is a unique and revealing documentary about the lifestyles and attitudes of ambitious career womenin conservative Saudi Arabia - the only country in the Arabworld where women are obliged to cover themselves inabayas and aren't allowed to drive cars. Because of the strong influence of fundamentalist Islam on society, filmingis severely restricted in Saudi Arabia. With unique access to the Kingdom, Backlight had the opportunity to film the daily routines of Saudi working women. This documentaryfeatures a top gyneacologist, a TV news anchor woman, a photographer, and a university professor. It also introducesthe wealthy Prince Al-Waleed, who passionately promotes the acceptance of women into the workforce. He kindly invitesBacklight to his luxury desert camp, but there are no women to be found - only thousands of men.