"Wadjda," the first full-length Saudi feature film to have been entirely shot in the Kingdom with an all-Saudi cast, has won the award for the 'Best Arabic Film' at the recent Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

The film, by Saudi's first woman director Haifaa Al Mansour, also fetched the best actor award for its young actress, Waad Mohamed, who won rave reviews for her outstanding performance in the movie in the “Muhr Arab” Feature category at the festival.

Wadjda was produced by Rotana, a leading entertainment company in the Arab world owned by the Saudi Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud along with Razor Film, and High Look Group.

"Wadjda", screen written and directed by Al Mansour, tells the story of a 10-year-old girl living in Riyadh who beats the odds to create a heartening tale of a girl's journey to own a bicycle.

The coming-of-age film has been called “revolutionary” by the global film industry, and is the first full-length feature film to be filmed entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with an all-Saudi cast.

Commenting on the feat, Prince Alwaleed said, “Rotana is the face of social advancement in Saudi and will continue to do so.”

In September, “Wadjda” had won three international awards, CinemAvvenire Award, CICAE Art Cinema award and the Interfilm award at the 69th annual Venice Film Festival.

These international awards are awarded in recognition of excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors and writers.

Al Mansour received the award at a gala event in Dubai in the presence of Fahad Alsukait, the CEO of Rotana and cast members.

She thanked Prince Alwaleed and expressed her delight at being the first Saudi female director. Al Mansour said she was proud to hold this position and saw it as a platform for further competitive opportunities for Saudi women in the film industry.

In 2006, Rotana produced the first social comedy-drama Saudi film Keif Al Hal and in 2008, Rotana released the production of its Saudi film ‘Menahi’ for the first time in Saudi in Jeddah and Taif with a premiere that took place on the second day of Eid Al Adha.-TradeArabia News Service