On July 9th 2026, ESRA Paris hosted the inaugural Saudi Independent Cinema Salon, bringing together filmmakers, artists, students and cultural leaders for an evening celebrating independent cinema and strengthening cultural dialogue between France and Saudi Arabia.
Co-founded by ESRA and Saudi filmmaker, writer and visual artist Gigi Hozimah, the Salon creates a new platform where Saudi filmmakers engage with European audiences through film, conversation and artistic exchange.
Held in ESRA’s Dolby Atmos cinema overlooking the Eiffel Tower, the event reflects ESRA’s commitment to fostering international dialogue through cinema, education and creativity, while creating new opportunities for students and professionals to engage with emerging voices in world cinema.
The programme featured a curated selection of Saudi short films followed by the screening of And Then Comes Winter, written and directed by Gigi Hozimah. Each screening was followed by discussions with filmmakers, offering audiences a unique opportunity to exchange ideas on storytelling, artistic practice and the evolution of contemporary Saudi cinema.
Visitors also discovered an exhibition of works by Gigi Hozimah and Hanaa Hejazi, including pieces from My Body, My Choice, highlighting the close relationship between cinema and the visual arts within today’s Saudi creative landscape.
“At ESRA, international education is about creating opportunities for filmmakers, artists and students from different cultures to meet, exchange ideas and learn from one another. The Saudi Independent Cinema Salon perfectly embodies that ambition.”
— Benjamin Azoulay, Vice President, Groupe ESRA
The Salon forms part of ESRA’s broader international strategy of building lasting partnerships through education, artistic collaboration and cultural exchange. For ESRA students, it also offered a rare opportunity to engage directly with international filmmakers and experience first-hand the role cinema can play in fostering intercultural dialogue.
The evening further highlighted ESRA’s expanding presence in the Gulf region with the announcement of the ESRA–Abu Dhabi University Bachelor in Film and Media Production, launching in September 2026 and officially recognized by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education. The programme represents another milestone in ESRA’s commitment to developing internationally connected film education.
Designed as an annual initiative, the Salon aims to become a meeting point for filmmakers, students and audiences interested in contemporary Saudi cinema while strengthening artistic collaboration between France and Saudi Arabia. By bringing filmmakers, students and audiences together, it reflects ESRA’s conviction that cinema is not only a creative discipline, but also a powerful language for cultural dialogue.
Guest Feature by Sara Berretima
To complement this institutional overview, we are pleased to publish an exclusive feature by Sara Berretima, an Algerian journalist, writer and screenwriter specializing in cinema and audiovisual culture.
A graduate of the Higher Institute of Journalism and trained in screenwriting at the Arab School of Cinema & Television in Cairo, Berretima is the author of several acclaimed television dramas and regularly writes on Arab cinema and contemporary culture.
Drawing on her participation in the inaugural Salon, her feature explores the emergence of Saudi auteur cinema and the broader cultural significance of this new platform for dialogue between France and Saudi Arabia. Her article is available in both English and Arabic and accompanies this publication.
Read the press release (English)
Read the press release (Arabic)
