Literary hit adapted for the big screen with cast of up-and-coming Saudi actors LONDON: The first official trailer for “HWJN,” the upcoming fantasy romance feature adapted from the novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas, has been unveiled by Deadline. The film, a collaboration between Image Nation Abu Dhabi, VOX Studios and MBC Studio, is an ambitious production initiated in Cannes in 2019 when the three major Gulf players partnered to create in-house premium film and TV content for the region. After its publication in Saudi Arabia in 2013, ‘HWJN’ became a literary hit owing to its blend of Western sci-fi elements and Arabic folklore. Yasir Al-Yasiri, the Dubai-based director from Iraq, helms the adaptation and also holds a producer credit under his Axx Productions banner. The cast features up-and-coming Saudi actors, including Baraa Alem, Nour Alkhadra, Nayef Althifery, Alanoud Saud and Mohsen Mansour. Although an official release date has yet to be announced, the film’s setting in Jeddah makes it highly likely the partners are considering a launch at the Red Sea International Film Festival.