Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen’s road movie “ Hijra ,” centered on the bond formed between different generations of Saudi women during a journey across the desert, has been selected as Saudi Arabia ’s candidate for the Oscar in the international feature film category.

“Hijra” is the second feature from Ameen whose first work, feminist fable “Scales,” was Saudi’s Oscar candidate in 2020.

Shot in a vast swathe of desert and in several Saudi cities and urban areas including Jeddah, Medina, AlUla and Neom, “Hijra” premiered positively in September in the Venice Film Festival’s Spotlight section.

The film centers on 12-year-old Janna, who embarks on a journey toward Mecca to perform Hajj – the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca – with her strict grandmother Sitti and rebellious 18-year-old

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