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COMMUNITY SERVICE competes at Port Said Film Festival’s first-ever edition
15 September 2025
Following its acclaimed world premiere at the 11th Saudi Film Festival earlier this year, the short Saudi film COMMUNITY SERVICE by Jaafar Al Ghalib has been officially selected to compete in the Short Film Competition at the first edition of the Port Said Film Festival, taking place from September 18th to 22nd.
COMMUNITY SERVICE follows the story of Sultan, who faces termination from his job, forcing him to take desperate risks to save himself. But he soon discovers he's become a pawn in a revenge scheme far greater than he imagined, orchestrated by his manager, Salwa, as part of her plot to overthrow the corrupt businessman who looms over her life.
The short had its world premiere at the Saudi Film Festival in April 2025 (April 17th–23rd), where it was screened in the Official Competition and praised for its tight narrative and socially conscious storytelling. The film now continues its festival journey on an international stage with its selection at Port Said, a brand-new film festival set in one of Egypt’s most culturally significant cities.
Produced in tandem with Fawaz Gadri and Salem Shabl of Mazallah Studios, this short film stars Zara Al Balushi alongside Yasser Al Harbi. It is also directed by Saudi Arabian actor Jaafar Al Ghalib, written and produced by Salem Shabl, shot by Akbar Ali, edited by Khaled Faisal, and scored by Ziad Al-Anzi, with Salem Bakoor serving as the sound engineer, and MAD World handling international sales, and MAD Distribution managing the film’s distribution and sales across the Arab world.
Commenting on his short film, director Al Ghalid states, “For nearly nine years, I have been driven by the dream and passion to present a work adapted from the writings of the great author Abdulwahab Al-Sayed Al-Rifai.” He further expressed that he wanted COMMUNITY SERVICE to “serve as a gateway to introduce this remarkable writer to filmmakers and, especially, to Saudi audiences—and to serve as a tribute to his fanbase.”
Jaafar Al Ghalib is a rising Saudi filmmaker with a passion for cinema, music, and literature. Previously, he produced and directed three shorts and co-wrote a fourth. He is also a member of Jeddah's Alwan Cinematic Club. With the support of Mizalla Studios, he now makes his directorial debut with COMMUNITY SERVICE.
COMMUNITY SERVICE follows the story of Sultan, who faces termination from his job, forcing him to take desperate risks to save himself. But he soon discovers he's become a pawn in a revenge scheme far greater than he imagined, orchestrated by his manager, Salwa, as part of her plot to overthrow the corrupt businessman who looms over her life.
The short had its world premiere at the Saudi Film Festival in April 2025 (April 17th–23rd), where it was screened in the Official Competition and praised for its tight narrative and socially conscious storytelling. The film now continues its festival journey on an international stage with its selection at Port Said, a brand-new film festival set in one of Egypt’s most culturally significant cities.
Produced in tandem with Fawaz Gadri and Salem Shabl of Mazallah Studios, this short film stars Zara Al Balushi alongside Yasser Al Harbi. It is also directed by Saudi Arabian actor Jaafar Al Ghalib, written and produced by Salem Shabl, shot by Akbar Ali, edited by Khaled Faisal, and scored by Ziad Al-Anzi, with Salem Bakoor serving as the sound engineer, and MAD World handling international sales, and MAD Distribution managing the film’s distribution and sales across the Arab world.
Commenting on his short film, director Al Ghalid states, “For nearly nine years, I have been driven by the dream and passion to present a work adapted from the writings of the great author Abdulwahab Al-Sayed Al-Rifai.” He further expressed that he wanted COMMUNITY SERVICE to “serve as a gateway to introduce this remarkable writer to filmmakers and, especially, to Saudi audiences—and to serve as a tribute to his fanbase.”
Jaafar Al Ghalib is a rising Saudi filmmaker with a passion for cinema, music, and literature. Previously, he produced and directed three shorts and co-wrote a fourth. He is also a member of Jeddah's Alwan Cinematic Club. With the support of Mizalla Studios, he now makes his directorial debut with COMMUNITY SERVICE.
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