Saudi cinema is growing fast and wallah, it’s exciting to watch! No more safe stories or boring drama! Today’s Saudi films are funny, bold, and full of real life! From girls fighting camels, drivers losing it in Riyadh traffic, and dreams that turn into nightmares under the desert sun!
This new generation of filmmakers isn’t scared. They talk about love, madness, money and freedom with confidence and a big sense of humor. It’s cinema with spice, heart, and a little bit of chaos (exactly how I like it).
So grab your gahwa, relax, and enjoy this countdown of 20 must-see Saudi films from quiet art in AlUla to wild desert fever dreams, this list has it all!
20. Norah (2023)
Director: Tawfik Alzaidi
Story: A shy village girl in 1990s Saudi dreams beyond her dusty walls when an art teacher brings color, rebellion, and curiosity into her life.
What’s good: Beautiful AlUla landscapes, soft lighting, and a quiet heartbeat of change.
What’s bad: Slow pacing! it sometimes feels like the director fell asleep with the camera rolling!
Why you should watch: Because it’s Saudi indie cinema at its most poetic! the desert finally looks like a painting, not just sand.
19. Hijra (2024)
Director: Shahad Ameen
Story: Saudi Arabia’s official Oscar submission is about a Saudi family migrating between cities while haunted by secrets and the disappearance of a daughter.
What’s good: Stunning cinematography and haunting score.
What’s bad: feels like half the script drowned on the journey.
Why you should watch: It’s an atmospheric drama about guilt, loss, and women’s resilience.
18. The Tambour of Retribution (2020)
Director: Abdulaziz Alshlahei
Story: A son of an executioner falls for a wedding singer in a world where family honor is everything.
What’s good: Tense, raw, and full of moral gray zones.
What’s bad: It sometimes feels like a soap opera with prestige lighting.
Why you should watch: A fierce clash between love, shame, and fate.
17. Masameer: The Movie (2020)
Director: Malik Nejer
Story: A tech-savvy girl uses AI to turn a bunch of misfits into superheroes fighting corruption and crime.
What’s good: I LOVE Masameer! Funny, sharp, and proudly local! Pixar if Pixar grew up in Riyadh.
What’s bad: if you don’t know Saudi memes, some jokes fly right over your head.
Why you should watch: It’s the first Saudi animated hit that actually feels global.
16. Head to Head (2023)
Director: Another one for the amazing: Malik Nejer!
Story: A lovesick chauffeur and a clueless mechanic accidentally kidnap a retired crime lord.
What’s good: Pure chaos with neon lights and jokes that actually land.
What’s bad: The pacing goes off the rails after the midpoint, yet that wild energy is exactly what keeps you watching.
Why you should watch: Because Saudi absurdist comedy has never looked this cinematic.
15. Alhamour H.A. (2023)
Director: Abdulelah Alqurashi
Story: A security guard becomes a billionaire investor, conning half the city in the process.
What’s good: Great pacing and sarcastic tone! A Saudi Wolf of Wall Street vibe.
What’s bad: Could’ve gone crazier!!! it plays safe when it could’ve gone full scandal.
Why you should watch: It’s a wild mix of greed, ambition and local satire.
14. Hobal (2024)
Director: Abdulaziz Alshlahei
Story: A family isolated in the desert faces superstition and survival.
What’s good: Gorgeous cinematography again!
What’s bad: Heavy-handed at times, every scene screams “Symbolism!”
Why you should watch: A powerful allegory of Saudi identity, tradition, and madness.
13. The Book of Sun (2020)
Director: Faris Godus
Story: A group of high schoolers in 2010 Riyadh set out to make a zero-budget horror film and end up learning more about themselves than cinema.
What’s good: Infectious energy, hilarious meta humor and huge nostalgia for early YouTube Saudi culture.
What’s bad: A few gags overstay their welcome.
Why you should watch: It’s the Superbad of Saudi Arabia! Awkward, passionate and real.
12. Scales (2019)
Director: Shahad Ameen
Story: In a fishing village where girls are sacrificed to sea creatures, one girl refuses her fate.
What’s good: Bold, surreal, and visually stunning in black-and-white.
What’s bad: Minimal dialogue might lose impatient viewers.
Why you should watch: A feminist fantasy from the heart of Saudi Arabia! yes, it exists!
11. The Perfect Candidate (2019)
Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Story: A female doctor runs for local office after realizing change won’t happen unless she starts it.
What’s good: Strong message and calm, confident direction.
What’s bad: Predictable plot, but sincerity wins you over.
Why you should watch: It’s empowering without being preachy.
10. Barakah Meets Barakah (2016)
Director: Mahmoud Sabbagh
Story: A civil servant and a social media influencer fall in love but can’t find a place to meet in conservative Jeddah.
What’s good: Smart, sarcastic humor and genuine charm.
What’s bad: Too conservative! Feels like it barely scratched the surface but for 2016 Saudi, that’s bold enough!
Why you should watch: A Saudi rom-com that actually works! Charming, witty and relatable.
9. Wadjda (2012)
Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Story: A ten-year-old girl dreams of owning a bicycle in a society that says girls can’t ride bikes.
What’s good: This was the very first Saudi film I ever watched, so it’s special to me. Authentic performances and heartfelt simplicity.
What’s bad: It’s a little too tidy! you wish it had sharper edges.
Why you should watch: The film that started it all! the first fully Saudi-shot film and still the most beloved.
8. Sattar (2022)
Director: Abdullah Al-Arak
Story: A bored office worker tries to become a professional wrestler.
What’s good: Ridiculously funny and surprisingly heartfelt.
What’s bad: Sometimes feels like a long YouTube skit.
Why you should watch: It’s pure joy! Saudi’s version of Nacho Libre!
7. Roll’em (2019)
Director: Abdulelah Al-Qurashi
Story: A filmmaker wanders through Jeddah meeting strange people who reignite his passion for cinema.
What’s good: A love letter to filmmaking, packed with real Saudi flavor.
What’s bad: The pacing’s uneven, but it is full of heart!
Why you should watch: Because it’s literally about falling back in love with films!
6. The Seagull of Arabia (2022)
Director: Wesam Kharrat
Story: A documentary about Chancellor Youssef Yassin, who fought colonial powers with intellect and diplomacy.
What’s good: Patriotic, educational & visually strong.
What’s bad: A bit too serious!
Why you should watch: A rare documentary that connects Saudi pride with cinematic storytelling.
5. Hajjan (2023)
Director: Abu Bakr Shawky
Story: When his brother dies in a camel race, a young boy takes his place to protect his beloved camel and prove his courage in a ruthless desert world.
What’s good: The most visually polished Saudi productions to date!
What’s bad: A bit heavy on melodrama! you’ll know every tear cue before it comes!
Why you should watch: It’s a classic hero’s journey told through sand, sweat and heart! A proof that Saudi cinema can be both epic and intimate.
4. Hwjh (2023)
Director: Yasir Al-Yasiri
Story: A curious jinn falls in love with a human girl, uncovering secrets of his royal lineage.
What’s good: Ambitious world-building and gorgeous effects.
What’s bad: Overly long! 2 hours that could’ve been 90 minutes!
Why you should watch: A Saudi fantasy that feels like a Netflix-level production!
3. Raven Song (2022)
Director: Mohamed Al Salman
Story: A mysterious love letter throws a young man’s quiet life into chaos just as he’s diagnosed with a brain tumor, forcing him to choose between love, art, and sanity.
What’s good: Stylish, poetic, and full of dark humor! it’s Saudi arthouse cinema with confidence and a wink.
What’s bad: The surreal pacing might confuse anyone expecting a straight romance.
Why you should watch: Because it’s weird, smart, and brave! the kind of film that proves Saudi directors can be as eccentric and visionary as any international auteur.
2. Night Courier (2023)
Director: Ali Kalthami
Story: A delivery driver spirals into Riyadh’s criminal underworld to save his father’s life, uncovering how desperation can twist even the quietest man.
What’s good: Neo-noir atmosphere, sharp dialogue, haunting realism, and an unflinching look at modern Saudi life after dark. Mohamed Aldokhei delivers a powerhouse performance! t’s one of the most committed, raw performances in Saudi cinema so far, the kind that makes you forget you’re watching an actor at all. The kind of performance that gives you goosebumps!!!
What’s bad: Nothing!
Why you should watch: It’s the Saudi Taxi Driver! Gritty, stylish and unforgettable.
1. Naga (2023)
Director: Meshal Al Jaser
Story: Sarah sneaks out for what’s supposed to be a harmless date before curfew, only to end up trapped in the desert! phone dead, curfew ticking, and a raging camel standing between her and survival. What starts as a night of rebellion turns into a surreal, hallucinatory odyssey where guilt, fear, and heat blur together.
What’s good: Everything! Watching it feels like being stuck in a bad acid trip that’s indistinguishable from reality! The visuals, the sound, the humor, the madness, all in perfect balance. Adwa Bader is a revelation! her performance as Sarah is so raw and real it feels like the desert itself is watching her unravel. She shifts from sarcasm to terror in seconds! The final explosive, haunting, and deeply human scene isn’t just one of the best endings in Saudi cinema, it’s one of the best endings in a film ever!
What’s bad: Nothing. Not one wrong beat, not one wasted frame!
Why you should watch: Because Naga doesn’t just tell a story, it traps you inside it, makes you sweat, panic and then leaves you stunned long after the credits roll!
