By Variety | Created at 2026-10-07 16:30:41 | Updated at 2026-10-07 22:01:44
6 hours ago
Saudi director Anas Ba Tahaf’s romantic black comedy “A Matter of Life and Death” has been selected as Saudi Arabia’s candidate for the Oscars international feature film category.
The quirky movie marks the directorial debut of Tahaf, who previously worked as co-producer, editor and first assistant director on Mahmoud Sabbagh’s groundbreaking rom-com “Barakah Meets Barakah,” which represented Saudi Arabia at 89th Academy Awards a decade ago.
“A Matter of Life and Death” pairs actors Sarah Taibah (“Mandoob”) and Yaqoub Alfarhan (“Norah,” “Rashash”) and is set in Jeddah, the city on the eastern shore of the Red Sea known for vibrant youth culture, a mix of modern and ancient architecture and for being the gateway to Mecca.
The film’s plot involves a superstitious young woman named Hayat who is convinced she’s cursed and wants to end her life. She intersects with Yousef, an introverted heart surgeon who suffers from slower than average heartbeats that seem to quicken when he comes close to death or to killing. “She wants to die; he wants to kill, and they should be perfect for each other. Then, inconveniently, they fall in love,” says the synopsis.
“A Matter of Life and Death” had its world premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in December last year, then opened theatrically in June across Saudi Arabia where it pulled a decent roughly $600,000 in grosses, according to Rentrack. The indie film later received a jury special mention at the Saudi Film Festival, where Taibah won an acting award for her performance as Hayat.
“A Matter of Life and Death” is produced by Mohamed Hefzy for Film Clinic, Gianluca Chakra for Front Row Filmed Entertainment, and Abdulelah Alahmary and Ahmad Taema for Arabia Pictures, with support from the Red Sea Fund. Front Row Filmed Entertainment is handling international sales.
The shortlist for the 2027 Oscar nominations will be announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Dec. 15, with the final selection revealed on Jan. 21. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 14 in Los Angeles.
