Saudi filmmaker Sultan bin Mohammed receives international praise, featured in GQ
April 20, 2021, 8:31 am

Saudi filmmaker Sultan bin Mohammed receives international praise, featured in GQ

Saudi Arabian writer, director, and producer Sultan bin Mohammed Al Saud was recently featured in GQ Middle East’s “Four Arab Thought Leaders You Need To Know About.” (Photo courtesy of GQ)

Saudi Arabian writer, director, and producer Sultan bin Mohammed Al Saud was recently featured in GQ Middle East’s “Four Arab Thought Leaders You Need To Know About,” where the New York Film Academy graduate discussed his work.

When it comes to his work ethic, Sultan told GQ that his goal is to do right by people.

“I would like to be able to elevate the people with me if I achieve any kind of success, and that directly informs how I carry out any business endeavors. It might not be the quickest way to the top, but it’s certainly the best,” he said.

In 2016, Sultan wrote and directed a short film titled “Tradition,” which won several international awards, including the 2019 Hollywood Blood Horror Festival Award, the 2017 London Independent Film Awards, the 2016 New York Short Film Festival Award, and the 2016 NYC Indie Film Awards, according to his IMDb page.

“Sultan, my brother, is genuinely one of the most creative and talented people I know. Extremely PROUD of him and his idea of what success should look like,” Sultan’s brother, Talal Mohammed, said in a tweet.

“For those of you who don’t know, his short film, Tradition, won 10 international awards,” Talal added.

https://twitter.com/tmafaisal/status/1384190057863548928

Horror films

“I am a massive fan of horror films,” Sultan said in his interview with GQ.

“There, time correlates directly to tension. I like it when I am able to stretch it to an uncomfortable level. It’s always the moment right before a decision that’s important to me… it also showcases the character’s mindset,” the filmmaker added.

The genre of his short film “Tradition” is both comedy and horror, and it tells the story of a boy who is given a crossbow for Christmas and discovers that his family has darker secrets than he ever thought possible.

Sultan told GQ he enjoys “pushing characters to extremes.”

“I did this with Tradition, a movie about a boy facing up to a gruesome family ritual – and whether he should keep it. It just connects with audiences and leads them to ask, ‘Would I make the same decision, too?’” he said.

Some of Sultan’s other works include producing “The O2,” a short sci-fi film, and longer films “Madinat AlMalahi” and “Everything Outside.”

source: Reem Krimly

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”