Published by
Al-Araby
Al-Araby
The curtain closed Monday on Saudi Arabia’s first major film festival, four years after the kingdom lifted a decades-old ban on cinemas in a push to soften its ultra-conservative image. Arab and foreign celebrities descended on the week-long Red Sea International Film Festival in the western coastal city of Jeddah, where 138 films were screened from 67 countries in more than 30 languages. On December 6, actors and actresses walked the red carpet in evening wear — a far cry from the traditional black abaya that until recently was the officially mandated dress code for women. The festival opene…