Showcast: From Saudi Roots to Global Screens w/ Hamzah Jamjoom

In this episode of the Showcast, we speak with one of the foremost Saudi filmmakers in modern cinema, Hamzah Jamjoom, whose films include Rupture (2021) and How I Got There (2022), and make him one of the most awarded film directors in the country. We take this opportunity to talk about the birth of his interest in film, as well as his work in both animation and live-action projects. Jamjoom also shares with his the importance of his Saudi heritage and how his works aim to speak to his own people, as well as reach an international audience. Aside from stories about his formative years and his career up to this point, Jamjoom also shares with us details about his future projects and ambitions, as well as his thoughts and experience of Saudi Arabia's burgeoning film industry and film culture.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(01:11) Early love of animation

(06:24) A Saudi in the US

(10:44) The power of storytelling

(14:57) From animation to live action

(18:13) Saudi Arabia: an emerging film market

(21:02) "Running Dry"

(26:42) Outro