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Saudi Arabia Scores First Cannes Official Selection Slot With Drama ‘Norah,’ Set When Art Was Banned

By Nick Vivarelli

Nick Vivarelli

International Correspondent

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Saudi Arabia has landed its first film in the Cannes Film Festival official selection with “ Norah ,” a drama by pioneering director Tawfik Alzaidi set in 1990s Saudi, when conservatism was at its height and all forms of art and painting were banned for religion-related reasons.

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“Norah,” which was the first Saudi film to be shot in AlUla — the sprawling area of Saudi desert and giant boulders that boasts an ancient city — won the top prize of a funding award from the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw Film Competition, an initiative launched by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture in September 2019 to support Saudi film production and champion the next generation of filmmakers.

The film is produced by Alzaidi and U.S. producer Paul Miller, the former Doha Film Institute head of finance who shepherded “Scales” – which was Saudi’s submission for the Oscars in 2020 – and by Jordanian producer Sharif Majali. They worked with Saudi production companies Black Sugar Pictures and Nebras Films.

Global rights to “Norah” were acquired in December by a new company launched in Riyadh by former Universal Pictures exec Paul Chesney called TwentyOne Entertainment. 

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Cannes Selects First Saudi Film for Competition in Festival’s 77-Year History

Six years after the country announced its intention to build a home-grown industry, a film from Saudi Arabia has been selected to compete in the Cannes Film Festival for the first time.

Norah, Saudi director Tawfik Alzaidi’s feature debut, has been selected in the Un Certain Regard section and will compete against 19 other entries from around the world.

The category, established in 1978, runs in parallel to the festival’s long-running Palme d’Or competition and aims to recognise emerging talent and non-traditional narratives.

Saudi Arabia, through its Red Sea Film Foundation, has had a strong relationship with the festival since 2018. Last year, six Saudi-backed films were shown, including the opening film Jeanne Du Barry, starring Johnny Depp. These films, however, were not made by Saudi or Gulf filmmakers.

The Red Sea Film Foundation also supported the production of Norah. The first Saudi project to be filmed entirely in AlUla, it won the Film AlUla Best Saudi Film Award when it was shown for the first time in December at the Red Sea Film Festival.

Set in the 1990s, Norah takes place before the pursuit of art was publicly supported by the kingdom .  The story follows a failed artist turned schoolteacher, played by Yaqoub Alfarhan, who helps a young girl, played by Maria Bahrawi, realise her potential in an oppressive rural environment.

Last year, a Jordanian film was selected to compete at Cannes for the first time. Amjad Al Rasheed’s Inshallah A Boy was shown at Cannes Critics’ Week, a non-official sidebar competition.

The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival will take place this year in the southern French city from May 14 to 25. It will host the premières of films from directors including Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather), Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) and Paul Schrader (First Reformed).

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Saudi film 'Norah' selected for Cannes Festival

Saudi Gazette report

Set in the 1990s and filmed in AlUla, the movie features a compelling story that explores human relationships and art. The film stars Yaqoub Al-Farhan, Abdullah Al-Sadhan, and Maria Bahrawi, along with local supporting actors from AlUla. It is the first Saudi feature-length narrative shot in AlUla.

This official selection in the "Un Certain Regard" section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 14 to 25, underscores the rapid progress and global integration of the Saudi film industry. Norah not only reflects the cultural and cinematic growth in Saudi Arabia but also its commitment to fostering a new generation of filmmakers.

The film has already gained recognition, winning Best Saudi Film at the last Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah. Plans are underway for its release in Saudi cinemas soon.

The Saudi Film Commission actively promotes the national cinema at international venues like Cannes, highlighting the industry’s significant box office growth and its collaborative projects with global filmmakers. This strategy has established Saudi Arabia as a promising landscape for cinematic innovation and storytelling.

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What the Saudi Film Commission is doing at Cannes this year

The authority will showcase new films as well as promote the country's unique filming locations.

The Saudi Arabia pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Saudi Film Commission

With a new crop of film talent and striking locations waiting to be utilised, the Saudi Film Commission is bringing together some key players from the country's creative sector to make a strong case at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 .

Along with a delegation of young filmmakers who will present their latest works at the Short Film Corner, the Saudi Arabia pavilion will host a panel discussion, titled State of Arabia, at the Marche du Film, the Cannes film market.

Scroll through the gallery below to see the best photos from Cannes Film Festival's opening night

A guest arrives for the 'Final Cut' screening ahead of the opening ceremony of the 75th Cannes Film Festival in southern France, on May 17, 2022. AFP

The panel will feature Saudi producer and director Aymen Khoja, Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy and Tunisian director Lotfy Nathan, who makes his feature debut with Harka , the recipient of the Red Sea International Film Festival's Red Sea Souk Award in December.

Harka will also be screened at the Un Certain Regard section, dedicated to up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world.

Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla’s film agency, will also host a panel at the US pavilion, to introduce the country as a global film hub.

Over the past 18 months, Saudi Arabia has provided the backdrop for three major Hollywood films : Ric Roman Waugh’s coming action thriller Kandahar , starring Gerard Butler, and filmed in AlUla and Jeddah; Rupert Wyatt’s historical epic Desert Warrior , starring Anthony Mackie and Ben Kingsley, shot in the new city-state of Neom and the region of Tabuk, and set to be released later this year; and the Russo brothers’ crime drama Cherry , starring Tom Holland, which was shot in AlUla and Riyadh, now streaming on Apple TV+.

Under the Saudi Film Commission's production cash rebate system, projects shot in the country are eligible to get back up to 40 per cent of qualifying production costs.

The Saudi pavilion will also preview eight local feature films that have reached completion in the past year. These include Norah, written and directed by Tawfik Alzaidi, and Within Sand , directed by Moe Alatawi. Both films were recipients of a fund award at the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw’ Film Competition in 2019.

Saudi Arabia hosts two film festivals annually — the Saudi Film Festival , now in its eighth year, and the Red Sea International Film Festival , which was held for the first time in December.

Cannes Film Festival runs until May 28

Scroll through the gallery below to see photos from the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival

Actress Hillary Swank is greeted by Red Sea International Film Festival chairman Mohammed Al Turki on the opening night of the festival. AFP

Our Vision: Bring Saudi Arabia to the world.

• Ahmed Saleh
• Aug 23, 2023

Saudi Arabia Showcases Opulence at ILTM Cannes, Attracting Key Partners

In a remarkable display of opulence, Saudi Arabia, the true birthplace of Arabia, has unveiled its grandeur to the world at the prestigious ILTM Cannes travel event. Saudi Arabia made its mark at the highly esteemed luxury event on the annual tourism calendar, with a strong presence from key partners within the local ecosystem. The representatives from Saudi Arabia engaged in fruitful interactions, forging valuable relationships and cultivating partnerships with renowned figures in the global luxury travel trade. Saudi Arabia has emerged as a captivating destination for globetrotters seeking extraordinary experiences and the chance to venture into uncharted territories. Al Ula, the epitome of genuine Arabian culture and heritage, offers a plethora of extraordinary experiences. From the enchanting allure of glamping amidst the vast Arabian dunes to the serene exploration of the unspoiled Red Sea, this sanctuary has it all. Immerse yourself in the opulence of AlUla's exquisite five-star boutique hotels, where every indulgence awaits to captivate your senses. In an exclusive statement, Fahd Hamidaddin, the CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, highlighted the allure of Saudi Arabia as a burgeoning tourism destination. With its emphasis on regenerative tourism and the promise of uncharted experiences, Saudi Arabia aims to captivate travelers seeking both adventure and the opportunity to make a positive impact. In the past three days, there has been a remarkable surge of interest in the destination among the luxury travel trade from the United States, Europe, and Asia. The growing awareness of Saudi Arabia has translated into concrete commitments to boost tourism in the country. At the stand, visitors were treated to an immersive experience of Saudi hospitality as they were greeted by Saudi students from Europe who embodied the essence of what Saudi Arabia has to offer. In a statement filled with enthusiasm and gratitude, Turki AlShalawi, a hospitality master's student at the Glion Institute in Switzerland, expressed his deep appreciation for the remarkable chance he has been given to not only represent his beloved country but also showcase the rapid expansion of the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia. The exchange that took place at the stand between event attendees and representatives has proven to be truly inspiring. The attendees have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, displaying genuine curiosity and a strong eagerness to delve deeper into Saudi Arabia's rich culture and the country's ambitious plans for the future of tourism. During the event, attendees at the Saudi stand were not shy about expressing their enthusiasm for the destination. One visitor, brimming with excitement, eagerly shared their thoughts, stating, "I am filled with anticipation and sheer delight to witness Saudi Arabia opening its doors to the world. We are eagerly counting down the days until we can immerse ourselves in all that it has to offer." In the face of the formidable obstacle presented by the ongoing pandemic, the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia has displayed remarkable resilience and experienced a notable surge in growth during the past eighteen months. In a remarkable turn of events, domestic tourism in the country has experienced a staggering 96% surge in travel. This surge can be attributed to a combination of factors, including substantial investments, the introduction of captivating new tourism offerings, and the successful enticement of fresh Destination Management Companies (DMCs) into the market. With the country's implementation of an extensive program of lifestyle and entertainment events, the current objective is to transform the considerable market enthusiasm into actual attendance figures. The interactive stand of Saudi Arabia at ILTM Cannes proved to be a captivating experience for both event attendees and travel trade professionals. Through a mesmerizing display, participants were fully immersed in the rich flavors, breathtaking sights, and enchanting sounds that Saudi Arabia has to offer. Discover the latest updates on STA's involvement in this year's International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) in Cannes. Delve into the diverse array of experiences awaiting tourists in Saudi Arabia. For more information, visit ILTM Cannes. Saudi Arabia: A Must-Visit Destination for Travel Enthusiasts

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International Insider: Bonjour Cannes Film Fest, Au Revoir MIPTV; Southeast Asia Deep Dive; Believe In ‘Bluey’

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Good afternoon Insiders, thanks for always sticking with us. Max Goldbart here talking you through a packed week in the global entertainment world. Read on, and sign up here .

Bonjour Cannes Film Fest

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Here they come: Cannes head Thierry Frémaux delivered a strong selection of titles Wednesday that will make up the festival’s 77th edition, running May 14 to 25, as the eagerly-awaited Cannes presser took place and Deadline kept you well informed. One of them we already knew – Francis Ford Coppola’s much-discussed epic Megalopolis, which Mike Fleming revealed earlier this week . Other filmmakers set for competition slots include Ali Abbasi, who brings  The Apprentice , a feature pic about the early life of Donald Trump. Andrea Arnold returns with  Bird , starring Barry Keoghan , and Jacques Audiard’s latest,  Emilia Perez , a musical with Selena Gomez will also debut on the Croisette. Elsewhere, Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino returns with  Parthenope .  Poor Things  filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos will launch  Kinds of Kindness , his latest collab with Emma Stone. David Cronenberg returns with  The Shrouds , and Paul Schrader will debut  Oh Canada  starring Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman, and Richard Gere.

English-language presence: Notably, there’s a strong English-language and American presence in the main competition, with a whopping 10 English-language titles in contention. That’s more than half the Competition. Frémaux described the high number as a  “coincidence” in a short interview with Mel following the announcement. Amongst the familiar names, however, there were still some international discoveries to be found. Two relatively new female filmmakers, Agathe Riedinger and Payal Kapadia landed competition spots with their respective features  All We Imagine  as  Light and Wild Diamond . There was also a strong showing from Chinese filmmakers, which Frémaux noted at yesterday’s presser as a welcome return for a country that has been less present on the international film stage of late. There are three Chinese filmmakers in the lineup and another from Hong Kong. There is also a first Somali film. And Saudi Arabia landed its first spot at Cannes with  Norah , by Saudi director Tawfik Alzaidi, which debuted last year at the Red Sea Film Festival. Check out Andreas’ analysis for more.

Big studio titles: Surprisingly, Frémaux didn’t announce any more big studio titles set for those coveted out-of-competition slots. The festival has already locked George Miller’s  Furiosa  and Kevin Costner’s  Horizon: An American Saga.  As customary, the festival will continue to announce new titles in the coming weeks and Frémaux said we should expect up to 10 movies to be added to the festival schedule. We’re also still waiting on the announcement of this year’s Competition jury, which  Barbie  filmmaker Greta Gerwig will lead. We have truly entered the Cannes run-in.

Au Revoir MIPTV

To London we turn : And then there was one… MIP event per year in Cannes. The 61st and final MIPTV concluded earlier this week on a somewhat emotional note but with little surprise attached to the sentiment. Numbers were well down on last year, although this gave attendees the opportunity to spend more time in meetings and enjoy a bit of the Cannes sunshine (and also weather some Cannes rain) – maybe the thing shouldn’t cease to exist after all. As has been well publicized by this fair website , the RX-organized event is packing its bags and moving to the English capital from 2025 to run concurrent with the London TV Screenings. More information was incoming about the shape MIP London will take and by the end of the confab some of the questions posed by all and sundry at the beginning had been answered. Based at the Savoy Hotel and IET from February 24 to 27, the target will be distributors that want to be in London but do not have a base there. These sales houses will pay a fee to rent out areas, suites and join networking hubs in the area, and buyers and delegates will be invited in. RX chief Lucy Smith said conversations are taking place over the future of MIPDoc and opportunities for the children’s TV community, with more updates incoming. She grew visibly emotional when bidding farewell to the confab that launched in 1963, although she acknowledged negative feedback such as “It’s about time” and “What were you waiting for?,” so there was understanding of the unease that had been growing around MIPTV’s existence for some time. We await more info on MIP London. For now, read all our MIPTV coverage here including big deals for The Traitors distributor All3Media International , Embankment Films and Israel’s Keshet , and a sales launch for James Norton’s new show .

Canneseries rolls on: The future of Canneseries, which has itself been running concurrent with MIPTV for seven years, remains very much a live question. While MIPTV was clearly on its way out, Canneseries had its buzziest lineup to date, attracting the likes of Michael Douglas, Daniel Brühl and Kyle MacLachlan to promote big streamer launches Franklin, Becoming Karl Lagerfeld and Fallout respectively. Canneseries insiders were clear that the fest will continue unencumbered by the changes to MIP and attendees were speculating as to whether it could move in the calendar closer to either October’s MIPCOM Cannes or the Cannes Film Festival. Screenings were well attended and, while it is nowhere near the size of its bigger movie sibling, it very much had the feel of a fest on the up. On the ground, Stewart and I spoke with the likes of Douglas , Brühl and Canneseries jury president Sofie Gråbøl , whose jury opted for Succession -esque German family drama The Zweiflers for the top prize.

Southeast Asia Deep Dive

Row backs: If you didn’t know much about the streaming landscape in Southeast Asia, then you will by the time you’ve finished Jesse and Sara’s excellent analysis . The piece is a tale of what happens when huge U.S. players enter and then swiftly exit a region sizzling with talent. Southeast Asia at one point was deemed a key growth area for the likes of Prime Video and Disney but the money has drained away as these global players have retrenched. Netflix remains the only major American streamer still commissioning across a region that incorporates the likes of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. Unsurprisingly, local industries have been hit hard but Jesse and Sara teased out some possibly more surprising knock-on effects of the row backs, which can be read lower down in the piece. At present, producers are in talks to buy back the rights to their content with Disney and Prime Video, with several starting to re-package projects to pitch to other potential buyers. This was a story that needed telling.

Black Actors Defend Francesca Amewudah-Rivers 

“Deplorable racial abuse”: The casting of up-and-coming star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers opposite Tom Holland in a West End production of Romeo & Juliet should have been met with celebration but, as is all too often the case in the culture wars era, it was instead met with a dollop of nastiness. In response, almost 900 Black actors signed an open letter Wednesday decrying the horrendous abuse that Amewudah-Rivers has faced on social media since the casting anno, with signatories including No Time to Die  star Lashana Lynch and  Enola Holmes’  Susan Wokoma. “The racist and misogynistic abuse directed at such a sweet soul has been too much to bear,” they said. It is simply devastating to see such a young, budding star be hit with this torrent. The Jamie Lloyd Company, which is behind the Romeo & Juliet play, also defended Amewudah-Rivers. Not that we needed it, but in other culture wars-related news, a Daily Telegraph columnist questioned the “absurd decision” to cast Egyptian-born Amir El-Masry as her ancestor Thomas Wyatt in the upcoming Wolf Hall Season 2. The late, great Hilary Mantel, who wrote the source material, had previously argued that “we must take on board the new thinking” of representative casting.

Believe In ‘Bluey’

Everyone’s favorite heeler dog: Jesse sat down with the creator of everyone’s favorite heeler dog this week, and I can tell you with a fair bit of certainty that he’d been looking forward to this one. The big question on fans’ lips was of course what is happening to the potential Bluey movie and Joe Brumm let us know that 30-minute special ‘The Sign’ — four times the length of regular episodes that launches in a few days — will play a key role in what shapes the story of anthropomorphic Australian sisters Bluey and Bingo in the longer form. “I’m loving going longer on ‘The Sign’, and I’d love to try to go longer — I definitely would not rule that out,” he said. Bluey ‘s success cannot be overstated. The series is a global smash that delights kids AND adults around the world and is testament to the power of storytelling. And if that’s not enough to give you paws for thought (sorry), then dive deeper here .

The Essentials

🌶️  Hot One :  Filming has wrapped in Morocco on biblical thriller  Mary starring Anthony Hopkins as King Herod and emerging Israeli actress Noa Cohen as Mary.

🌶️  Another:   The Night Manager is back , with a supercharged two-season order from the BBC and Amazon.

🌶️  Hot hot:  Matthieu Kassovitz is returning to directing for passion project  The Big War – the first pic he has helmed in 13 years.

🍿  Box office:  Nancy has been reporting from CinemaCon in Las Vegas amid an increase in the global box office projection for 2024 to $32.3B.

🌎 Global Breakout: Hannah Abraham spotlighted Gangnam Project , the Canadian-British kids co-pro that taps into the phenomenon that is K-pop.

💵 Auction: Donations to the Cinema For Gaza auction topped $200,000, with Joaquin Phoenix, Spike Lee and Olivia Colman memorabilia put up for sale.

🗳️ ElectionLine: Jake sat down with British broadcasting alums Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel.

📖 Review : For Back to Black, critic-splitting Amy Winehouse pic from Sam Taylor-Johnson.

🤝🏻  Done deal:  Netflix tied with the Colombian duo behind The Hijacking of Flight 601.

🏪 Agencies: CAA centralized its global TV division to the U.S. and UK.

🏆  Awards latest:   Saltburn’s Alison Oliver was among the The Irish Film And TV Academy’s rising star nominees.

⛺ Festivals latest: Israeli film festival Seret criticized its longtime UK partners for backing out of this year’s event.

🎥 Trail: Netflix’s French language thriller Under Paris got a bit Jaws- y

Zac Ntim contributed to this week’s Insider

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Boutique Group highlights Saudi ultra-luxury hospitality at ILTM Cannes

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, NOVEMBER, 28, 2023 – Boutique Group, the first ultra-luxury hospitality group of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announces its participation at the upcoming International Luxury Travel Market Cannes (ILTM Cannes). One of the most prestigious events in the sector, the flagship luxury travel trade show runs from December 4 to 7, 2023.

Owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Boutique Group supports the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture objective to develop and promote the industry. The group develops and operates ultra-luxury boutique hotels in transformed historic and cultural palaces, including many that served as historic residences. Boutique Group sets new benchmarks in the industry and redefines the luxury hospitality experience in the Kingdom, offering domestic and international travellers an opportunity to immerse themselves in a modern image of Saudi Arabia inspired by tradition.

Boutique Group’s portfolio of previously inaccessible properties include the Red Palace in Riyadh, once a home to King Saud before being the Council of Ministers’ base for three decades, Al Hamra Palace in Jeddah, which has welcomed some of the most prominent international public figures, and the Aga Khan Award-winning Tuwaiq Palace, recognised as one of Riyadh’s most significant architectural landmarks.

With three palaces being completely renovated to provide a grandiose, all-encompassing experience that honours local history and culture, Boutique Group epitomises Saudi hospitality and generosity with a focus on service-oriented guest experiences of the highest standards. In addition to cultural immersion, Boutique Group’s exclusive luxury villas and suites offer the utmost in modern comfort with dedicated personal assistant services. The experience is further enhanced by unique high-end dining options and private spa facilities.

With these three iconic palaces already unveiled across Saudi Arabia, Boutique Group is heading to the tourism world’s most exclusive luxury event to introduce its brand and offering to leading agents, curators and advisors.

ILTM Cannes is the global flagship event for the ILTM Portfolio, which brings together the world’s most highly sought hospitality brands and travel designers. Last year, more than 3,600 industry professionals from 77 countries met at a series of one-to-one meetings and networking events.

 “Boutique Group is pleased to be taking part in this highly anticipated edition of ILTM Cannes,” said Mark De Cocinis, CEO of Boutique Group. “Saudi Arabia is a country with a deep tradition of hospitality, and this warmth and generosity are at the very heart of everything we do. At Boutique Group, we are drawing on the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage to create a truly unique ultra-luxury hospitality offering.”

He added: “Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism is expecting $6 trillion of investment opportunities in the travel and tourism sector through to 2030. With more than 300,000 hotel rooms being built in the interim, Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is among the fastest developing in the world, with an abundance of opportunities for industry peers from across the world. We look forward to engaging with you all at ILTM Cannes.”

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Saudi red sea authority showcases coastal tourism programs at iltm cannes.

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Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), the regulator of marine tourism activities, and the enabler for recreational activities, has concluded its participation alongside the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) at the prestigious International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) held in Cannes, France. 

During the global event, SRSA had the opportunity to brief ILTM participants about its activities, projects, plans, and programs designed to enable luxury tourism experiences and ensure a seamless user journey for all stakeholders.  

As the Authority also introduced to attendees its seven new regulations, enforced since November 2023, which are aimed at enhancing coastal tourism while ensuring sustainability and safety, including the Visiting Private Yacht Regulation and Large Yacht Chartering Regulation. Moreover, the Authority highlighted opportunities and benefits to investors to attract investment to the Red Sea.

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SRSA showcased the rich natural, environmental, and cultural resources of the Red Sea, with a 1,800 km coastline that features over 1,000 islands, more than 500 dive sites. 

SRSA, established by a Council of Ministers decision in November 2021, focus on enabling and regulating coastal tourism activities in the Red Sea, including navigational activities such as cruising and yachting, developing mechanisms to protect the marine environment in relation to navigational and marine tourism activities, in collaboration with relevant authorities, supporting investors, including SMEs, and marketing coastal tourism activities to attract practitioners.

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• 12 Apr 2024

Saudi Red Sea Authority showcases coastal tourism programs at ILTM Cannes

• Date: 09-Dec-2023
• Source: GCC Business News
• Sector: Tourism
• Country: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), the regulator of marine tourism activities, and the enabler for recreational activities, has concluded its participation alongside the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) at the prestigious International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) held in Cannes, France.  During the global event, SRSA had the opportunity to brief ILTM participants about its activities, projects, […]Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), the regulator of marine tourism activities, and the enabler for recreational activities, has concluded its participation alongside the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) at the prestigious International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) held in Cannes, France.  During the global event, SRSA had the opportunity to brief ILTM participants about its activities, projects, plans, and programs designed to enable luxury tourism experiences and ensure a seamless user journey for all stakeholders.   As the Authority also introduced to attendees its seven new regulations, enforced since November 2023, which are aimed at enhancing coastal tourism while ensuring sustainability and safety, including the Visiting Private Yacht Regulation and Large Yacht Chartering Regulation. Moreover, the Authority highlighted opportunities and benefits to investors to attract investment to the Red Sea. SRSA showcased the rich natural, environmental, and cultural resources of the Red Sea, with a 1,800 km coastline that features over

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At ILTM Cannes, the Saudi Red Sea Authority won the award for southern hospitality.

SRSA had the chance to inform ILTM attendees of its initiatives, assignments, programs, and programs created to support opulent travel experiences and guarantee a trouble-free user experience for all parties involved during the international event. In addition, the Authority announced to attendees its seven new restrictions, including the Visiting Private Yacht Regulation and Big Yacht Chartering Regulation, which have been in effect since November 2023 and are intended to improve southern hospitality while promoting conservation and protection. The Authority also emphasized advantages and opportunities for traders to draw funding to the Red Sea. With a 1,800 miles coastline that includes over 1, 000 islands and more than 500 swim sites, SRSA highlighted the Red Sea’s abundant natural, economic, and social resources. Observing that in November 2021, a Council of Ministers choice established SRSA. The Authority’s jobs include enabling and regulating southern tourism activities in the Red Sea, such as travelling and boating, creating mechanisms to protect the marine environment in relation to these activities, working with appropriate authorities, assisting investors, including SMEs, and marketing coastal tourist activities to draw practitioners. The Saudi Red Sea Authority ( SRSA ), which was founded in 2021, supports and oversees marine and navigational tourism activities in the waters of the Kingdom. Its main goal is to support the growth of the Kingdom’s tourism industry by promoting a thriving regional travel industry along the Red Sea of Saudi Arabia, while preserving and safeguarding the seas ‘ unpolluted setting. SRSA is situated at a crossroads between the maritime, hospitality, transportation, and logistics industries. SRSA will help investors, including medium and small businesses, and generate employment opportunities in addition to regulating aquatic tourism activities. SRSA is crucial to turning the Red Sea into a top-notch tourist place that provides visitors with different and environmentally friendly experiences. Visit redsea for more details. Gov. Sa. Saudi Red Sea Authority is a southern hospitality champion at ILTM Cannes. 

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Cannes yacht encounter triggered alleged $1.8 billion fraud that put Malaysia’s ex-prime minister in prison

It began with a meeting on a  yacht  off the coast of Cannes in the summer of 2009. The newly-elected prime minister of Malaysia was aboard at the invitation of businessman Jho Low and Saudi-Swiss businessman Tarek Obaid. The men had gathered   to explore deals for Malaysia’s new economic development fund, 1MDB. 

Fifteen years later, the prime minister is in a Malaysian prison serving  time  for corruption. Low, the alleged mastermind behind the  $4.5 billion  defrauding of 1MDB, remains at large. And Obaid and his business partner Patrick Mahony will stand trial at Switzerland’s top criminal court on April 2, accused of creating a sham oil exploration company through which they stole more than $1.8 billion in 1MDB funds.  

Neither Mahony or Obaid have spoken in public about their deals with Jho Low, a round-faced businessman they nicknamed ‘Chunk.’ The month-long trial, set in Switzerland because the two men based their business there, may reveal fresh details about the fugitive, who is suspected of pulling off arguably the biggest financial heist of the 21st century. Mahony   has denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. A lawyer for Obaid didn’t return multiple messages seeking comment on the charges.

It’s also a chance for Switzerland, seen as a soft touch on white-collar criminals, to demonstrate it can be tough on financial crime. A former Coutts & Co. banker found guilty in 2020 of failing to flag money-laundering concerns related to a $700 million transfer made by Low was fined just 50,000 Swiss francs ($55,700). 

Prosecutors claim that the pair worked with Low on the scheme from as early as 2009, and the amounts at stake make it one of the largest frauds that Low allegedly helped orchestrate.

Mahony has been charged with criminal mismanagement, fraud, bribery and aggravated money-laundering, according to the 213-page indictment, with Obaid accused of all that and forgery. A conviction just on fraud charges carries a prison sentence of as much as 10 years, though in many Swiss cases, the sentence is suspended.  

In the indictment, Swiss prosecutors lay out the pair’s alleged scheme — which, they say, included negotiating on behalf of a Saudi king they had no mandate from, while claiming the rights to a Caspian Sea oilfield that they never controlled — from that first Mediterranean meeting in 2009. 

A lawyer for Obaid didn’t return emails seeking comment on the charges against her client. Laurent Baeriswyl, a lawyer for Mahony, said by email that the indictment is the result of a “totally biased and incomplete investigation.”

The Swiss Attorney General’s Office “ignored all the facts which did not correspond to its thesis, contrary to what the law requires” and so “our client therefore strongly contests the facts as they emerge from the indictment and he will defend his rights before the Federal Criminal Court.”

Saudi Connections?

Obaid founded oil exploration company Petrosaudi in 2005 with his acquaintance Prince Turki Bin Abdullah al Saud, determined to capitalize on the connections that royal name could enable. 

But even with that woven into the company’s pitch, the ambitious 30-year-old still needed cash. He had secured a modest loan through Patrick Mahony, a former classmate from private school in Geneva, who would become Petrosaudi’s unofficial chief investment officer in 2009, according to the indictment. But he needed more, prosecutors say, and turned to Low.

Communicating only through encrypted BlackBerry messages and private email accounts, the three men got to work on the company. But according to the indictment, their strategy had little to do with oil exploration. 

Prosecutors highlighted emails among the three men to drive home their argument that Petrosaudi didn’t control the assets it purported to have, nor did it have the Saudi monarch’s blessing. According to one sent in mid-September 2009 before an introductory call with a 1MDB executive, it was imperative to “hint that PSI is indirectly owned by King Abdullah.”

Turki, the seventh son of the late King Abdullah, isn’t accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Petrosaudi, and didn’t exercise any operational role within the company, according to prosecutors. Turki was one of several princes detained in November 2017 by Saudi Arabia’s defacto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, and his current whereabouts are unclear. 

Turkmeni Oil

Following the Cannes   meeting, Obaid proposed that 1MDB and Petrosaudi create a joint venture to exploit Petrosaudi’s stake in a Turkmeni oilfield. Obaid laid out in writing, according to prosecutors, that Petrosaudi would bring “$2 billion worth of its assets in the energy sector into the joint-venture company.” 

There was one problem: Petrosaudi didn’t own the oilfield or the rights to it, but was rather in stalled negotiations with a firm that had paid $10 million to buy up the rights. But those paper rights were essentially worthless as the oilfield lay in waters whose ownership was disputed by Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. 

So Obaid turned to an oil consultant and old family friend to value the oilfield. Nine days later, he produced a report that put the “fair net present value” of the assets at between $2.98 billion and $4.06 billion.

With that hefty valuation in writing and the Saudi royal family’s backing established in the minds of 1MDB executives, the board of directors signed off on Sept. 26, 2009, and two days later authorized the transfer of $1 billion to bank accounts held by the new joint venture, 1MDB PetroSaudi. 

Three hundred million of that went to an account controlled by Obaid, according to prosecutors. The remaining $700 million went to GoodStar, which was falsely presented as a unit of PetroSaudi but was in fact a Seychelles-based entity controlled by Low. On Oct. 5, the businessman wired $85 million of that to an account held in Obaid’s name. Obaid, in turn, wired $33 million to Mahony on Oct. 21. 

The following year, prosecutors allege that the pair set about extracting additional money from 1MDB. Obaid had persuaded the fund to turn the joint venture into a loan facility and he drew down $500 million, ostensibly to invest in French oil company GDF Suez.

Newly flush, the pair appeared keen to distribute the funds quickly, emails show.  

“Right now we are in a good situation because we have this money in a clean and proper legal way so there is nothing anybody can do to us,” Mahony wrote to Obaid in September 2010. 

The next day, he transferred $300 million into Obaid’s personal account and the remaining $200 million to Petrosaudi accounts he controlled, according to prosecutors. 

Then in 2011, Obaid drew down again, this time for $330 million, prosecutors allege. To pressure the Malaysians to accept, he reminded them of how King Abdullah helped evacuate Malaysian Muslims during the Arab Spring protests, and how he had increased the quota of Malaysian Muslims able to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. 

Between 2009 and the end of 2011, prosecutors say that the men took a total of $1.83 billion from 1MDB, with Obaid personally pocketing $580 million, and Mahony, $37 million. 

Bangkok Prison

Obaid and Mahony’s 2023 indictment was based in part on the testimony of Xavier Justo, the third employee at Petrosaudi. After just a year at the company, Justo left and was arrested in Thailand in June 2015. Convicted of attempted blackmail in what he says was a conspiracy on the part of Obaid, Mahony and the Malaysian authorities to silence him, the Swiss national spent 18 months in prison before his country’s government intervened to help get him released. 

Documents Justo shared with  The Sarawak Report,  a blog focused on corruption in Malaysia, led to the first  expose  of the Petrosaudi pair in 2015. He published a  book  last year, co-written with his wife, chronicling his experience with the two men. 

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission flagged its own arrest warrants for Obaid and Mahony to Interpol in early 2020. It’s unclear if they were ever detained and Swiss prosecutors declined to say whether they ordered their arrest. 

Years on, Justo says he hopes that his country’s justice system will now do the right thing.  

“This is the perfect opportunity for Switzerland to show the world that it is serious about fighting financial crime and that it is prepared to punish those who perpetrate it,” he said.

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