Saleh

Inspired by a true story in a rural village in Saudi Arabia, a teen boy takes responsibility for his aging dad. His means of support is delivering veggies and fruits for a local store using his vespa. He is trying his best and continues to fail school work due to his other obligations. His dad’s only entertainment is a TV with an old antenna that continues to lose signal. Saleh aspires to save money to buy his dad a satellite dish to keep him entertained at home. A journey that would be difficult under his circumstances. Out of frustration, he loses his logic and directs his frustration in the wrong direction.

  • Zaki Alabdullah
    Director
  • Zaki Alabdullah
    Writer
  • Layla Al-Mohammed Ali
    Writer
  • Zaki Alabdullah
    Producer
  • Taiseer Almuhaimeed
    Producer
  • Ali Al-Mohammed Ali
    Producer
  • Mohammed Alsatrawi
    Key Cast
    "Saleh "
  • Abdullah Aldubaisi
    Key Cast
    "Saleh's Dad "
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    قصة صالح
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 11, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    3,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Saudi Arabia
  • Country of Filming:
    Saudi Arabia
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, RED, 6k, RAW
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Northwestern University
  • Evanston
    United States
    June 7, 2023
    MFA Thesis Showcase
Director Biography - Zaki Alabdullah

Zaki Alabdullah is a Saudi filmmaker. He recently finished his MFA in documentary film production at Northwestern University with an emphasis on cinematography. Zaki works in fiction and non-fiction. He attempts to blur the line between the two forms. His latest film Saleh was his MFA thesis film and filmmaker Marco Williams mentored it.

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Director Statement

Zaki's approach to this film was purely experimental. While the film was grounded in a non-fiction environment with non-actors playing themselves in a fiction film with no script, the stories that informed the film were all real nonetheless. Zaki's intention is to blend and confuse the audience about what's real and what's not. His formal education in social psychology and therapy informs his current work in films.