The 1st Feature Film Entirely Shot in KSA. // Project & Risk Management // Classical Layout

1. W A D J D A T H E F I L M
X M G T 6 1 0 – F A L L 2 0 2 0

2. TA B L E O F
C O N T E N T S
W A D J D A
1 - Introduction
2 - About the Film
3 - Challenges
4 - Scope
5 - Time
6 - Quality
7 - Budget
8 - Success

3. I N T R O D U C T I O N
WADJDA: The first Full Length Feature
Film ever shot entirely in the KSA.
Riyadh - Saudi Arabia, a country where
cinema was illegal, public displays of art
were vilified, women marginalized, gender
segregation strictly enforced and where
fundamentalist groups stood against
anything they feel threatens their values, is
the same country in which a Saudi Woman
directed and shot the first full length feature
film in the KSA.

4. WADJDA is the story of a 10 year old girl from
Riyadh
who
enters
a
religious
compe66on,
memorizing
passages
of
the
Quran
in
order
to
raise
enough
money
to
purchase
a
bicycle.
The
bicycle
is
a
metaphor
for
freedom
of
movement
that
does
not
exist
for
women
and
girls
in
Saudi
Arabia.
Knowing that in KSA a female is not allowed to ride a bicycle, the
journey of Wadjda presents
a
very
complex
view
of
life
in
Saudi
Arabia
with
the
inten6ons
to
show
how
the
people
there
live
and
what
characterizes
their
lives
without
it
just
being
about
suppression.
The
film
was
made
for
both
the
Saudi
Arabian
audience,
with
the
aim
to
draw
hope
and
improvement
in
the
openness
of
the
culture
as
well
as
for
the
Western
world
that
has
a
very
rigid
view
of
the
country,
with
the
aim
to
change
that.
A B O U T T H E F I L M
ABOUTTHEFILM

5. The
film
gets
much
of
its
complexi6es
and
its
darkness
from
the
other
characters:
ABOUTTHEFILM
Wadjda's mother
The woman who must deal with a horrendous
commute just to get to work every day
Wadjda's father
The man who loves his daughter and wife but
is considering a 2nd marriage because his first
didn’t give him a son
Wadjda's teachers
Instructors who waver from compassionate to
cruel when instilling the “traditional” values their
conservative society imposes on its women.
Wadjda's best friend
A boy who loves Wadjda so much that he even
lets her ride his bike.

6. CHALLENGES
No Film Was Ever Shot in KSA Before
There Was No Cinema in KSA
The Director Is a Woman
The Film Is About Fundamental Social Issues
Funding The Film
Shooting Locations
Authorities Approval
Political and Religious Restrictions
The Cast

7. Project Initiation
Development of the Idea:
Script Writing
Screen Writing
Co-Producing
S C O P E O F
W O R K
One Goal Set in Mind:
Overcoming the challenges and
Making an Impact that will lead to a
Change / Improvement in the
society .

8. EXECUTION, MONITORING
Production:
Rehearsing
Filming
EXECUTION, CONTROLLING
Post – Production:
Editing
Designing
Coloring
Translating
Controlling Final Content
PLANNING
Pre – Production:
Budgeting
Funding
Casting
Scouting
Permits
Scheduling
S C O P E O F W O R K

9. FEEDBACK
Impact:
Rewards
Initiations
ROI
CLOSING
Distribution and Exhibition:
Screening
Festivals
Interviews
SCOPEOFWORK

10. 100,000 USD: Sundance Writing Lab, Winner Pitch.
Razer Film: German Production House - Funding
Rotana: Prince Al Waleed Ben Talal - Funding
B U D G E T
No details of the budget were found in any document, study or interview.
Only a total assessment translated in the following:
Although it is approximate that the film could have cost around 1.4 M $, the Budget is considered to be low to
Hollywood Standards, but the film made its way to New York.

11. TIME
In December 2012, the 98 minutes film was first screened after
5 years of planning and execution. The Development phase had
already took the team 3 years prior to the planning, but the
delay on set was mainly due to a lot of restrictions, lack of
organization and reliability in the Saudi environment and the
absence of Cinema in the country.
DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING
EXECUTION
MONITORING
Lack of Logistics and Labs:
All rushes had to be sent to Germany for post -
production...
Lack of Saudis Organization and reliability:
Missing documentations, Delayed permits,
Changing minds…
Religious and Social Restrictions:
Director had to run the outdoor scenes for 6 weeks
from inside a van, through a monitor and walkie
talkies…
Low Budget:
Disabling the crew from ensuring non stop generator
power, long distance monitoring …
Lack of Experience and Societal Comfort:
Not all neighbors were friendly or accepting the
shoot, the actors were not all professionals, and the
city was new to such projects…

12. QUALITY
Although the film was not not funded fairly and with all the
obstacles the team had to go through pre during the shoot, from
the deserted weather, to the unreliable environment, legal and
socio – religious restriction, absence of appropriate infra-
structure and lack of experience and professionalism from one
side, team members helped each other each in their own
potential to make this project happen and reach its goal
Not all High Budget Films succeed, nor everyone
has the courage to take the risk of shooting a film in
a “cinema deserted” country with so many
oppressions.
Respecting the rules, laws, regulations of the
society, its culture and history, the team managed to
get things done in exceptional situations, with
maximum censorship and minimum rejection from
the hosting environment.
The mixture of the German – Arab crew is a key
success for this project, through which westerners
could meet and see the real people behind the rigid
thought, and the Saudis learn how to get things
organized and done..
CONTENT
TECHNICALITY
PUNCTUALITY
LAWS AND REGULATIONS

13. “WADJDA” stole the light in every country the film was screened, being it the first feature film to be shot in KSA,
alongside with its problematic and Woman director.
Since theaters were banned in KSA, locals had to travel to any other country to watch the film, or wait for it to be on
DVD.
The film reached its goal and had a great impact on the society. It also increased awareness on the reality of the
normal human beings who live in KSA, and the hidden potential women have, praising women to speak their minds.
The amount of profit generating from the film opened eyes on the potential of arts and the film industry itself,
especially in the KSA. 4 films were shot in Riyadh after WADJDA and in 2018, theatres started opening again.
The film might not be the reason behind all this change, but it was definitely a starting point.
S U C C E S S

14. S U C C E S S
US AND CANADA
Nominated for Best foreign Film in
the United States and Winner of
“Most Popular International First
Feature Award” in Vancouver
International Film Festival.
GULF
Winner of “Best Actress and Best
Feature Film” in Dubai International
Film Festival.
EUROPE
Nominated & Winner of 15
International Film Festivals in
different countries, of which
“Best Film Award” in Venice.
UNITED STATES
Europe
Gulf
CANADA

15. Netflix
Vudu
Fandago
AmazonDomestic
Blue Ray
Sales
International
Box Office
Domestic
Box
Office
Budget
$100,000
$1,342,455
$13,162,647
$705,658
448Likes
13,593Ratings
S u c c e s s
Co-Producing the film with an
i n t e r n a t i o n a l E u r o p e a n
industry was a great decision
t h a t l e t t h e f i l m l e a d
international film festivals, be
seen and heard.
The film’s impact on the
society was very promising,
generating profits of approx.
13M $ from the international
Box Office alone.

16. Emerging Freedom Laws
In 2013, only few months after the
release of “Wadjda”, new freedom laws
for women started to emerge in Saudi
Arabia, with the first allowing them to ride
bicycles and bikes in parks and
recreational areas.
Today, women are allowed to drive cars!
S U C C E S S

17. Perla Awad
T h a n k Yo u !
Raad (Wadjda) & Haifaa Al Mansour - Film Director “Wadjda”