London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Apr 01, 2026

Eminent British filmmakers unveil plan to share Saudi life with international audience

Eminent British filmmakers unveil plan to share Saudi life with international audience

Two eminent British female filmmakers - Georgina Paget and Thembisa Cochrane - unveil their ambitious plan to share Saudi life with international audience with undertaking joint projects.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, they revealed that they will shoot their first Saudi joint venture film, written and directed by well-known Saudi woman director Ahd Kamel, in Jeddah in 2022.

“We are keen on exchanging our international experience with Saudi women. We are excited so much to see that Saudi Arabia is changing tremendously and we would like to be part of that monumental change with sharing stories and inspiring Saudi women,” they said.

Paget and Cochrane are producers of “The Colour Room,” a British drama film, which was screened at Red Sea Gala Theatre here on Sunday evening. Kerry Fox, main actress of the film, also accompanied them to attend the Red Sea International Film Festival.

Paget and Cochrane said the film is made by women. “We are the producers and its Script Writer Claire Peate and Director Claire McCarthy are also women, and the story is also about women. If women have dreams and they have the willingness to realize these dreams with actions with the support of other women and members of the society, they can achieve beautiful things for everybody,” they said.

The British producers said it is fabulous to see many young Saudis coming forward to filmmaking industry. “It is incredible to be in the middle of a Saudi audience who are laughing and crying as they are actively engaging with films. The young volunteers are also very helpful to all those coming from outside the Kingdom, with enthusiastically guiding us all around.”

They heaped praise on the young filmmakers from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region for their passion in filmmaking industry. “It is wonderful to see many young women directors from the Kingdom and the Arab region as well. A lot of films about women from the region and the international scenes are being screened at the festival,” they said.

On her part, Ahd Kamel told Saudi Gazette that the new film “My driver and I” tells the story of unusual friendship that she had with her Sudanese driver and its impact on her life. Referring to the Saudi project, Paget and Cochrane said that they are going to make the film in Jeddah in 2022.

The film sheds light on a young woman growing up in Jeddah in 1980s and 90s and becoming an artist focusing a little bit on the life of the Director Kamel herself who wrote the script and becoming the director too. “In the process of making preparations for the shoot, we are learning more about Saudi society as it is complex like any other society with consisting of people of all kinds. We learn more about each other apart from sharing the Saudi life with the international audience too,” they said.

The Colour Room is a ceramicist biopic, which highlights the pivotal idea that the modern woman is forward-looking and not backward-looking. The film is inspired by the life of history-making British ceramicist Clarice Cliff.

The film, directed by Claire McCarthy from a screenplay by Claire Peate, highlights the women’s struggle to be heard within what is otherwise a feel-good story of talent triumphant. Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor plays Cliff, who rose to prominence in the 1920s by introducing modern designs and colors to the traditional English pottery industry.

Potteries employed many women in largely menial roles, but Cliff managed to impress so much one eccentric factory owner with her ingenuity that she was allowed to design her own range and eventually run her own studio.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
King Charles Plans US State Visit as UK Strengthens Ties with Trump Leadership
UK Regulator Launches Investigation Into Microsoft’s Business Software Practices
Kanye West Set for High-Profile Return to UK Stage at Wireless Festival
Trump Presses Europe to Strengthen Commitment as Iran Conflict Escalates
UK to Deploy Additional Troops to Middle East Amid Rising Regional Tensions
UK Authorities Face Claims of Heavy-Handed Measures in Monitoring Released Pro-Palestine Activists
Trump Calls on UK to Secure Its Own Energy as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Nigel Farage Declines Invitation to UK Conservative Conference Led by Liz Truss
Trump Warns Allies to Take Responsibility as Rift Deepens with UK and France Over Iran Conflict
How Britain’s Prime Minister Controls U.S. Bomber Access in Escalating Iran Conflict
Trump Urges Allies to Secure Their Own Oil Supplies as Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Energy
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
Eli Lilly Seeks UK Pricing Deal to Unlock Renewed Pharmaceutical Investment
Three Arrested in UK After Massive Cocaine Haul Discovered Hidden in Banana Shipment
UK Fuel Prices Poised for Further Surge Amid Global Energy Pressures
Apple Subsidiary Penalized by UK Authorities for Breach of Moscow Sanctions
Western Allies Intensify Coordinated Sanctions Strategy Against Russia
UK Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Renewed Push for Social Media Restrictions
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
×