Arabia 3-D Movie

In February 2010, a new film called Arabia 3-D was released and is being shown on a limited basis in some IMAX Theaters. This is the first film ever that was totally shot within Saudi Arabia. From the depths of the Red Sea to its ancient ruins to covering the largest human assemblage on earth, Arabia 3-D offers a rare glimpse into the mysterious desert land of Saudi Arabia. It is narrated by British actress Helen Mirren. Rich in culture and steeped in history, religion, and tradition, this film is a must-see for those wanting to know more about one of the most misunderstood and secretive places on earth. Arabia 3-D is a visually spectacular masterpiece which can hopefully dispel some of the negative images that many Western people have about Saudi Arabia.

Arabia 3-D was the brainchild of a young Saudi filmmaker, Hamzah Jamjoon, a graduate of DePaul University's Fine Arts program in Chicago. From start to finish, the film took three years to make. There were some unique problems. Since Saudi Arabia has no film industry at all to speak of, government rules and regulations had to be invented along the way to provide for the making of the film, as well as bringing in professionals from 17 different countries around the world to produce the film. The extreme heat also had to be taken into consideration and special refrigerated trucks were employed to cool down the crews and the cameras themselves.

Although there are no movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, Jamjoon hopes to erect some temporary theaters to be able to show his film in his homeland to his fellow countrymen (and women too, I hope!). Here is a review of the film and below is a short movie trailer.