Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion
Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion/node/2574290/entertainment
Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion
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Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
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Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
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Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
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Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
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Updated 07 October 2024
Arab News
Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion
Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1
Trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma
Updated 07 October 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series “Future’s Folktales.”
Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, “Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales” will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1 in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as TV Tokyo in Japan, starting Nov. 1.
It will also be available in North America, Europe and Latin America, with platforms to be announced later this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma, which blend traditional tales with futuristic visions.
Fifteen Saudi artists and producers from Manga Productions contributed to character design and creative direction, showcasing a diverse array of traditional environments and costumes that reflect the rich cultures of the Arabian Peninsula.
Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary said: “The growing global interest in the distribution of Asateer2 Future’s Folktales across various international platforms is clear evidence of the success of our young talents in creating content that meets international standards and can compete on the global stage.”
He added: “At Manga Productions, we remain committed to producing innovative works that inspire the new generation and enhance ֱ’s position as a beacon of creativity, while ensuring we maintain the highest standards of quality and excellence in everything we do.”
Creative Director at Manga Productions Sara Oulddaddah said that during the production of Asateer 2, “We focused on enhancing our internal production capabilities and providing opportunities for Saudi talents who worked diligently with our partners across all stages of production.”
She added that “through Asateer2, we aim to continue sharing our inspiring Saudi culture, history and fantasy with the world, while contributing to the growth of ֱ’s creative content industry.”
The new season, which combines Saudi creativity with Japanese expertise, continues the remarkable success of the first season, which exceeded 100 million views worldwide, SPA reported.
‘Freakier Friday’: Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis talk ‘more mature’ sequel
Updated 03 August 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: More than 20 years after their beloved body-swap comedy “Freaky Friday” first hit the cinemas, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back — and this time, they are switching roles with the next generation.
In “Freakier Friday,” the highly anticipated sequel, the duo returns as mother and daughter, but with a new twist: A four-way body swap involving two younger characters, played by Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons.
Lindsay Lohan — a resident of the UAE for the last decade — returns as Anna Coleman in the film. (AFP)
When asked what it takes to convincingly pull off a body swap, the actors both agree — it is all about the details.
“Mannerisms, the physicality, is a big part of it,” Curtis explained in an interview with Arab News. “You have to mirror each other. It’s not like you’re doing the mirror exercise, but in a way, you are.”
Lohan — a resident of the UAE for the last decade — picked up on subtle changes too, saying: “Harper (Coleman) was slouching more, and she had a slower way of responding to things. She would kind of be more to herself and in her head. Anna would stay up straight more. Those were two of the things I would do.”
But no matter how much prep you do, Curtis says, the real test comes on set. She said: “You can work with the director and vocal coaches and all the rest of it, until that director says action — and the four of you have swapped, and you’re looking in the mirror — you just can’t know if it’s going to work. And I will tell you, when we shot the scene in the mirror, which is why it’s in the end credits, we knew it was working. The crew knew, the director knew, the producers knew, the studio knew — and then we relaxed.”
Both Lohan and Curtis also took on the role of executive producers for the film, a first for Lohan and a return to producing for Curtis. Stepping behind the scenes gave them more creative control and a deeper sense of ownership over the story.
“It feels so nice,” Lohan said. “Especially because women in Hollywood have come such a long way … it feels so encouraging to be executive producing with someone like Jamie and having more of a say in how things go in the movie. Just seeing it from the ground up feels so, what’s the word I’m looking for? Empowering.”
Fans of the original film will be thrilled by the return of Pink Slip, the fictional band fronted by Lohan’s character Anna. For Lohan, slipping back into Anna’s combat boots was as nostalgic as it was exhilarating.
“It was really fun,” she said. “I haven’t really been singing that much, and I haven’t been playing guitar in my daily life as much. So, it was nice to relearn guitar again and brush up on that and then sing and just be there, back with the band. We had so much fun. It was a really, really good time.”
While “Freakier Friday” is packed with physical comedy and music, both actors agree the film’s heart lies in its message of empathy.
“There’s a beautiful message in it,” Lohan said. “Walk a mile in my shoes. Get to know me before you assume things about me. Really know who I am first. And I think that’s a message we should all take with us every day, everywhere in the world — especially now.”
Curtis is in agreement. “It’s basically everything she just said. The first movie was funny and moving; this one is funnier, more moving … and therefore, it’s freakier. But the same themes are there: compassion, understanding, conflict, conflict resolution, physical comedy. It just feels richer, fuller, more mature.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani singer and actor Fawad Khan will be part of a panel of prominent judges who will feature in “Pakistan Idol,” which is set to make a comeback after a decade-long hiatus, a report in the international website Variety said this week.
Pakistan Idol was a reality singing television competition show that followed the “Idol” franchise created by British entrepreneur Simon Fuller. The show ran from December 2013 to April 2014 and featured pop stars Ali Azmat, Hadiqa Kiani and prominent actress Bushra Ansari as judges.
The show ran on Geo Entertainment and featured just one season. Production company MHL Global has secured the rights for Pakistan Idol from format distributor Fremantle to revive the singing competition series, Variety reported on Saturday.
“The show will feature a star-studded judging panel including actor Fawad Khan, singer Zeb Bangash, qawwali artist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Strings musician Bilal Maqsood,” Variety said. “The revival marks a significant return for the franchise, which last aired in 2014.”
The report said MHL Global has planned an ambitious distribution strategy for the show’s reboot, with it set to air simultaneously across five television networks, a first for any “Idol” franchise globally.
“According to the company, this multi-platform approach aims to reach diverse audiences across Pakistan’s various regions and languages,” it added.
Zoya Merchant, director of MHL Global, said the launch represented “a cultural movement.”
“Pakistan has incredible musical talent, and this platform will not only spotlight it nationwide but elevate it to the global stage,” she said.
Variety said the production will incorporate modern digital engagement alongside traditional television broadcasting, adding that online auditions are launching through the Begin platform, while in-person casting calls are planned for major cities and remote regions.
“Production is expected to begin later this year, with broadcast details and premiere dates to be announced,” the report disclosed.
Khan enjoys heartthrob status in both Pakistan and India. After making a name for himself in hit Pakistani TV drama serials and movies such as Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, The Legend of Maula Jutt and Khuda Kay Liye, he went on to star in Bollywood films Kapoor and Sons, Khoobsurat and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Before his acting career took off, Khan was a member of the Lahore-based rock band Entity Paradigm. He also sang the Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem for the 2019 edition of the cricket league.
ISLAMABAD: Waiters weave through the busy restaurant floor, hurriedly taking orders from famished customers and making room for plenty of others who amble into the busy ݲԻ’s gourmet café in Islamabad. It has been a little over three months since the restaurant opened for business in Pakistan’s capital. The steady stream of customers suggests it’s here to stay.
This is the story of several restaurants from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi that have opened their outlets in Islamabad in recent years and found success in the capital. These include ݲԻ’s, Hot N Spicy, Red Apple, Caffe Praha, Student Biryani and others.
These people bring much-needed diversity to the city’s culinary landscape. The southern port city is home to the Memon, Bohra, Punjabi, Pashtun, Baloch, Bengali, Malbari, Sindhi and a large community of MuHajjirs--people who migrated from India at the time of partition. Each group has contributed distinct flavors to Karachi’s ever-evolving palate with their own signature dishes.
But while Karachi has always been famous for its mouthwatering biryani, slow-cooked beef stew popularly known as nihari and the haleem, a thick, savory porridge of meat, lentils, and wheat, Islamabad’s residents did not find the same delight in the capital city’s version of these dishes.
Hence it comes as no surprise that Karachi’s prominent eateries that tried their hand in Islamabad have gotten impressive results so far. Take for instance Red Apple, a Karachi-based restaurant food chain popular for its paratha rolls and barbecue items, that started in Karachi in 1996 and now has 25 branches in total in the city.
“Three years ago, we launched in Islamabad and Lahore and within that period, have opened seven branches across Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” Hamza Channa, the general manager of Red Apple’s F-6 branch in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“There was no good roll paratha here. So Red Apple brought a good roll paratha and barbeque,” he said, adding the restaurant chain has the potential to open 20 outlets in the capital city.
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows Karachi-based eatery Red Apple in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows a chef preparing a paratha roll at Karachi-based eatery Red Apple in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
ݲԻ’s, another Karachi-based eatery, describes itself as a modern gourmet café that serves simple and flavorful meals to customers. The cafe has been operating in Karachi for the past 14 years and found success with three outlets there before it expanded into Islamabad three months earlier.
Khasham Zaman, a businessman who has savored meals at both ݲԻ’s outlets in Karachi and Islamabad, said the arrival of Karachi-based restaurants in the city is narrowing the gap in fine-dining experience in the capital.
“There is still room for improvement in the quality of the food, but I think they are doing exceptionally well,” Zaman told Arab News.
“I have tried ݲԻ’s both in Karachi and after that in Islamabad. It’s a new addition and it’s fantastic.”
The picture taken on Juky 31, 2025, shows a customer taking picture at Caffe Praha in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
Another Karachi-based eatery that has gained popularity in Islamabad is Caffe Praha. After operating in the southern city since 2019, Praha, which offers its customers the experience of relishing coffee and cakes at its outlets that it says are styled after Prague’s street cafés, opened for business in Islamabad on June 26.
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows a customer taking a picture of food at Caffe Praha in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
For popular food vlogger “Guy Knows Food,” the popularity of new food chains opening in Islamabad has less to do with taste and more with “aesthetic appeal.”
“It is really easy for Karachi’s restaurants to enter Islamabad’s food market because consumers here have really low expectations when it comes to restaurants,” the vlogger told Arab News.
“They usually just focus on the aesthetic and/or location of the restaurant and are not concerned about actual fundamentals, like food or service or choice of ingredients, or its sourcing even.”
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows a chef preparing pizza at Caffe Praha in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
He described Karachi’s range of food options as “absolutely amazing,” saying that restaurants based in the city are proof of that.
“Even Karachi’s restaurants don’t maintain the same quality of food and service here as they know that Islamabadi consumers won’t be too concerned,” he said.
“They can get away with it.”
Mahira Khan, however, absolutely relishes both the taste and experience that Praha offers.
“As they are advertising from Prague to Islamabad, I was expecting the same kind of touch, [that is] European food,” she said, sipping her Peach Mojito.
“And yes, the food was exactly what I was expecting.”
Focus on emotional power of movie soundtracks at Riyadh Film Music Festival
When music is played in front of an audience, the spotlight is directly on its role as a hidden narrator that expresses emotions, enhances the plot and deepens the visual experience’
The event explores the scores of 4 movies in particular: ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘The Lion King’
Updated 31 July 2025
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: The second annual Riyadh Film Music Festival began at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University’s Red Hall Theater on Wednesday. The opening night featured a live orchestral performance that blended visuals with sound as music from “Top Gun: Maverick” was performed live on stage alongside a screening of the film.
The event, which is organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and continues until Aug. 9, features composers, directors, filmmakers and enthusiasts from the Kingdom and beyond.
The event is attracting “diverse audiences, (providing) opportunities for local talent, and (contributing) to building a thriving cultural economy in line with Vision 2030,” said Ahmed Al-Ghaith, a live-performance advisor at the commission.
Ahmed Al-Ghaith, advisor at the RCRC. (Supplied)
Talking about the powerful effects of a live performance of a film score, he added: “When music is played in front of an audience, the spotlight is directly on its role as a hidden narrator that expresses emotions, enhances the plot and deepens the visual experience.”
He explained that the festival aims to promote an appreciation of the movie soundtrack as an art form in its own right, and encourage young talent to explore the fields of musical composition and sound production.
The Riyadh Film Music Festival is taking place this year in conjunction with the hosting in the capital of the Esports World Cup, as part of the commission’s efforts to foster cultural and artistic momentum in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification.
The second annual Riyadh Film Music Festival which organized by RCRC scheduled to run until August 9. (Supplied/RCRC)
The event aims to deepen the audience’s appreciation of the musical dimension in films through explorations of four movies in particular: “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Back to the Future” and “The Lion King.”
Each film is being screened accompanied by a live orchestral performance of its score, allowing audiences to experience the films in a new way and discover the power of music in cinematic storytelling.
The commission said the festival forms part of its work to enhance cultural and entertainment offerings for residents and visitors to the capital, while reinforcing Riyadh’s status as a global destination for arts and culture.
The reflective rise of Saudi-American musician Reef Loretto
The LA-based Dhahran-raised artist represented the Kingdom at this year’s World Expo in Japan
Updated 31 July 2025
Jasmine Bager
DHAHRAN: Although he lives in Los Angeles, Saudi-American songwriter and producer Reef Loretto traces the roots of his sound back to Dhahran, where he spent his childhood surrounded by extended family, hazy radio frequencies from across the causeway in Bahrain, and the early digital tools that would quietly shape his path.
“My mom was from Dammam. My dad was from New York State. I grew up in Dhahran — my whole childhood was there,” Loretto tells Arab News. “I grew up around a lot of family and got involved in music at a pretty young age. My earliest introduction was piano lessons around first grade. I had two teachers in particular that helped a lot with getting started.”
Reef Loretto (R) performing with Kackey (L) and Faisal Alqarni in Osaka at Expo 2025. (Supplied)
Outside the classroom, his cousins formed an informal band of their own. “A lot of my cousins got into playing music at a pretty young age. All of us would practice on our own and then we would meet up and jam.”
He clearly recalls the excitement of his first attempt at creating a song of his own.
“Things changed a lot when I got into original stuff — songwriting and digital production. The summer after eighth grade was when I first started trying to record things and capture ideas using a computer,” he says. “I remember very vividly the first time I had something on my computer that I felt good about. I was, like, ‘OK, I have a song! I want to record it. I want to turn it into something I can play on CD.’ I had it on the laptop, but I didn’t know how to export it at the time.”
Growing up in Dhahran came with creative limitations — access to gear and knowledge was difficult, even instruments were hard to find, and very expensive.
“At the time not much was happening, right? It was hard to go out and buy an instrument or equipment,” he says. “Nobody was really (making music) — at least nobody I knew. It was happening very privately, underground.”
Fortunately for Loretto, it was also happening at Desert Designs, a now-defunct creative space in Dhahran where Loretto got to perform with his cousins. It was an easy gig to get — the place was owned by his uncle, Farid Bukhari, and auntie, Qamar Ahmed. Bukhari, he says, would often give him mixes that he’d made on CD.
“Shout out to my uncle and auntie,” he says. “Honestly, I owe so much appreciation to them for different styles and variety.”
The sounds of his adolescence were a mix of downloads, those mix CDs, and regional radio.
“We were, like, the LimeWire, rock, rap, hip-hop generation,” he says. “I listened to 96.5 (from Bahrain). I remember them having more interesting stuff in those days.”
These days, his main source for musical inspiration is his younger sister, Ruby — an unofficial scout of heartfelt, emerging music.
“She’s the one keeping me at the pulse of the new, trendy stuff and what’s going on in terms of sound,” he says. “She’s always listening from her heart.”
Loretto’s current style is ambient and introspective — he describes it as “feelings-based” — often beginning with extended keyboard textures and expanding slowly, like a memory forming in real time.
“My main instrument is the keyboard. So it’ll start with some type of ambient idea, very extended sounds. Think of it like meditation music; introspective, a lot of contemplation. The notion of searching is always embedded in anything that I do,” he says.
Earlier this summer, that sound made its way to Japan when Loretto was selected to represent ֱ at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. As part of his residency there, Loretto performed with Japanese djembe drummer and vocalist Kackey and Saudi oud player Faisal Alqarni.
“Every day was an exploration. The thing that was interesting — and sometimes nerve-wracking — about it was that the three of us just met up for this,” he says. “I was expecting more chaos but it was a low-drama experience. All in all, it was really beautiful.”
Loretto performing in Osaka, Japan, at Expo 2025. (Supplied)
The trio created soundscapes in real time, inspired by ecology, ancestry, and the Red Sea. Loretto also produced visuals that responded live to the sounds.
For Loretto, the collaboration was less about fusion and more about humility.
“I actually want to get better at support,” he says. “I don’t want to make fusion. I want to learn to support somebody that’s playing in a very authentic, traditional way, in a way that feels cohesive. I’ll still always bring my background, right? I can’t ever remove myself from that context. But I’m less interested in trying to bring somebody else to where I am, I’m trying to meet somebody where they are.
“I learn from yesterday and support whatever’s happening tomorrow in a better and better way,” he adds with a smile.
