“The Destination”… When Saudi Arabia Speaks the Language of Cinema

Thus emerged the film The Destination — not as a traditional documentary, but as a visual exercise in what the “New Saudi Arabia” means. It’s not an official statement, nor a promotional showcase, but a quiet narrative that captures the features of transformation, portraying them through a lens that listens more than it speaks.

The film was shown on platforms like Shahid, YouTube, and STCtv, and aired on national screens through the Cultural Channel and Al Saudiya Channel, marking a symbolic moment that connects the Kingdom’s presence on the ground with its emergence on screen. A work crafted by a team of Saudi creatives — behind the cameras, in the writing rooms, color grading studios, editing bays, and music production — the film's journey spanned over 15 filming locations, used more than 234 production tools, and involved over 1,850 hours of actual work.

But beyond these numbers was a philosophy: How can a film express a kingdom that has become a destination, while still transforming every day? How can an image contain the scale of projects, the pace of achievements, and the density of detail? The aim wasn’t to document everything, but to capture the most important thing: the feeling.

From its first minutes, the film appears with a poetic eye, blending meticulous graphics, accompanying music, and camera movement that leans toward contemplation rather than spectacle. The scenes flow between local and international figures — from His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal and His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, to prominent figures like Jerry Inzerillo, Dr. Firas Khaleel, and His Excellency Fahad Al-Skeit, as well as cultural and media voices like Ahmad Al-Ayyad and Othman Al-Omeir — each of whom, in their own way, shaped the features of this profound transformation.

Behind the scenes, director Obadah Al-Hamami refused to include a scene for mere beauty. He insisted that every shot have meaning, every light convey a mood, every camera movement have a reason. “The challenge wasn’t just artistic,” he says, “it was human: how do we summarize a nation that’s accelerating in every direction? How do we avoid the trap of excessive beautification? The key was to listen to what’s happening — before turning it into an image.”

This aesthetic discipline was tightly linked to the production vision. Executive producer Moath Al-Hamami led the project with the belief that sustainable content is not just material for display — it’s a core asset of the modern state. “We wanted to produce a film that lasts, that isn’t forgotten after its showing. Something that reflects the Saudi movement not just through its shots, but through its value,” he says, convinced that major national projects deserve equally major creative works.

In just 45 minutes, the film hints at what cannot be summarized: hundreds of projects, thousands of stories, and a people living at the heart of a transformation equation. Yet it doesn’t claim to be complete — it offers a perspective, and tells the viewer: this is just the beginning, and there’s still so much more to come.

The film was completed with the support and partnership of the Knooz initiative and the Ministry of Media, in a collaboration that reflects the strong belief of national institutions in the global potential of local content. The team — more than 80 specialists and creatives — played the biggest role in making this vision a reality, from the smallest sound design detail to the creation of the film’s visual identity.

The Destination doesn’t aim to comment on Saudi Vision — it flows within it. It captures shards of light, the streets of Riyadh, the echoes of AlUla, voices from the stage, the square, the clinic, the café — and reconstructs them into one film. It doesn’t tell the full story… but it ignites in us the desire to hear it all.

And in a time full of noise, it is rare to find a film that says so much… in such a quiet voice.

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