The groundbreaking Saudi Arabian thriller “Mandoob”, about a struggling man who becomes a bootlegger, is being mastered for theatrical release in both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos in what is being hailed as a first for Saudi and Arab cinema.
The film, which had its world premiere in Toronto and recently screened locally at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, will be released in Saudi Arabia by distributor Front Row on December 14, with late-night screenings beginning on Wednesday night.
Directed by Saudi cinema pioneer Ali Kalthami and produced by the Telfaz11 studio he co-founded, “Mandoob” follows protagonist Fahad, who is fired from his call centre job and becomes a booze runner, as he plunges into the depths of Riyadh’s underworld while battling adversity to save his ailing father.
“Dolby is proud to be working with the creative minds behind ‘Mandoob’ to bring Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to the forefront of this cinematic masterpiece,” the company said in a statement.
“The combined power of Dolby Vision’s groundbreaking imaging technology and Dolby Atmos’ immersive sound will ensure that audiences are not just watching a film, but experiencing the heart of Riyadh in unprecedented detail,” said Friedrich Deininger, Dolby’s senior director of cinema for EMEA and India.
“Filming at night adds a layer of mystery and with Dolby, viewers will feel the heartbeat of the city and the intensity of Fahad’s struggle,” said Kalthami. “This film is not just about watching, it’s about living the experience, feeling every emotion as if you were there.”
Five years after lifting its 35-year-old religious ban on cinemas, Saudi Arabia is fast becoming the region’s cinematic powerhouse, producing homegrown films that rival Hollywood blockbusters at the local box office. After launching at last year’s Red Sea Fest, the Saudi action comedy “Sattar” – also produced by Telfaz11 and distributed by Front Row – knocked “Avatar: The Way of the Water” off the top box office spot en route to an eye-popping $11 million, the highest gross ever for a Saudi film.
