‘Siwar’ Director Osama Alkhurayji on Juxtaposing Saudi and Turkish Cultures Within the Alula-Shot Drama

variety.com:

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi director and producer Osama Alkhurayji’s debut feature film “Siwar” recently wrapped principal photography in AlUla, the swathe of northwest Saudi Arabia comprising ancient artifacts, a lush oasis and sandstone canyons that’s becoming a burgeoning local film production hub. “Siwar” involves two families – one Turkish, the other Saudi – whose fates become entangled due to a revelation about their newborns.

In the film, AlUla stands in for Najran, the city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemen border. The drama delves into the dynamics of how the lives of Yaner, a Turkish father played by Serkan Genç (“The Game-Hiyleger Axmaqlar”), and Hamad, a Saudi father played by Fhaid Bin Mohammed, intersect after their sons are swapped at birth. “Siwar” is the latest Saudi film to shoot in AlUla, following Netflix drama “The Matchmaker” and Saudi auteur Tawfik Alzaidi’s debut feature “Norah” that – after premiering locally in December at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah – will soon launch internationally from Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section. “Siwar” is being produced by Omar Said, whose credits in the region include the groundbreaking Netflix Saudi original movie “Naga.” Alkhurayji, who is also a producer on “Siwar” through his Riyadh-based Hakawati Entertainment shingle, spoke to Variety about what drew him to debut with a drama centered on cultural crossover between Saudi and Turkey. What are the basic elements of the “Siwar” story? It’s a story about two families — one from Saudi, one from Turkey — who happen to be involved in an incident and they try to adapt to that event.