Panel: Production of Series in Saudi Arabia. International Co-productions and growing strategy

Redha Alhaidar is the Chairman of ROAA Media Ventures, a visionary holding company at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving media and entertainment industry.

He is a seasoned senior executive and board member with depth of experience in management, strategic communication, media, and public policy in Saudi Arabia and globally. An accomplished entrepreneur with excellent leadership and organizational skills, Alhaidar has founded several tech startups, including BitMal, a disruptive social currency and social marketplace.

Prior to establishing ROAA Media Ventures, Alhaidar was the President of the General Commission of Audiovisual Media, Saudi Arabia’s media industry regulatory authority. He also worked at the Capital Market Authority, Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority, and other key government agencies and national committees in the Kingdom.

Alhaidar was also a Board member of Misk Foundation, the non-profit foundation established by H.R.H. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to discover, develop and empower Saudi youth to become active participants in the future economy. He was the former Chairman of Manga Production, an animation house and video games developer and also served as a Board Member of Tihama, an Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing Company.

Alhaidar holds a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; a Master’s degree in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University; and Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Design & Development from American University.

Osama Alkhurayji is the Executive Director of ROAA Media Ventures, a visionary holding company at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving media and entertainment industry.

He is also an award-winning director, producer, and CEO of Hakawati Entertainment. He began directing and producing films in 2007, and despite the lack of market demand in Saudi Arabia at the time, his works have been awarded both locally and internationally.

Osama later earned a Master’s degree in filmmaking from New York Film Academy in Burbank, California, where he got his Hollywood experience in cinema and TV. Since then, he’s produced content with several regional TV networks, theaters, distributors, and streaming platforms such as SBC, Shahid, MBC, Vox Cinemas and OSN.

Osama is also an active figure in the content sector, having founded and co-founded several leading content and production companies, such as Integrated Production, Qutrob, and Hakawati Entertainment—one of the most prominent startups in visual content production and literary management in Saudi Arabia.

In 2022, Osama created an alliance with Hakawati Entertainment to push boundaries in the types of content created by connecting Hollywood talents and Saudi creatives to foster healthy and competitive opportunities in the film industry.

María Bestar es directora, guionista, actriz, cantante y compositora.

Después de una exitosa carrera de 15 años en la industria de la música donde lanzó tres discos con Sony Music y cientos de miles de albums vendidos en Latinoamérica, María se aventura al mundo del cine y televisión como escritora, directora y actriz. 

Se gradúa de la escuela de guionistas ARS MEDIA con los mejores en España.En Nueva York, cursa el taller de Dirección de Cine con Solar Productions y en Miami se  forma como actriz bajo la guía de María Banda en Area Stage Company.

En los últimos años, ha trabajado con Televisión Española, Telemundo, Televisa, NBC Studios y Netflix  como actriz y desarrollando  varias series de ficción, entre ellas “No te puedes esconder” ganadora de Mejor Serie del Año en el New York Film Festival . Recientemente a co- escrito la serie “Pirates of Arabia” para la productora saudí Hakawatti. 

Después de protagonizar “La Noche” en 2022. María comienza a trabajar en la preproducción de su opera prima, “Encerradas” que se rodará en 2024. 

En 2023 rueda su primer cortometraje “No estás loca” como directora, guionista y actriz consiguiendo el apoyo de las Naciones Unidas, al alienarse con su agenda 2030.  Por el momento “No estas Loca” ha recibido Premio a Mejor Directora en el XX Festival de Cine de Alicante, además de Selección Oficial en dicho Festival, el XXXV Festival de Cine de L’Alfas del Pi, el VIII Festival de Cortometrajes Santaella, en la 8va Mostra de Curts de Moscatell y la II Mostra de Cine Social Mirades Fest, el Certamen Internacional de Cine Social en Zaragoza, el Asto International en Grecia, y el Coronado Film Festival en San Diego entre otros.