The first film festival to take place in Saudi Arabia began in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on Dec. 6, almost four years after the ban on cinemas was lifted in efforts to modernize the kingdom.
The red carpet was rolled out to Arabs, Saudis, world stars, filmmakers, directors and producers in a scene that was not imaginable in the conservative kingdom where women wore only traditional black abayas in public up until a few years ago.
