The Bilal film is a Saudi production released in English in 2015, and it remains a landmark in the Kingdom’s cinema story. Classified as a 3D animated historical adventure, it was the first Saudi film of its type. It tells the life of Bilal Bin Rabah, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
How the Bilal film reached audiences
The film premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival on December 9, 2015. It travelled to France’s Cannes Film Festival in May 2016, then opened in Middle East theaters on September 8, 2016. Reviewers singled out its production technology and the accuracy of its settings and character design.
Its soundtrack was composed by Atli Orvarsson and recorded in London, giving the picture an orchestral scale that matched its historical subject. Saudi cinema has grown considerably since, as coverage of national efforts to promote Saudi cinema shows.
Bilal film production and credits
Ayman Jamal wrote and directed the film, with Khurram Alavi as co-director. It was produced by the Saudi company Barajoun Entertainment. The screenplay was written by Alex Kronemer, Michael Wolfe, Khurram Alavi and Yassin Kamel. The script took seven years to complete, and production ran across three years.
That timeline is worth noting. Animation on this scale demands long development cycles, which is one reason the sector needed institutional backing of the kind now provided through the Ministry of Culture.
The story behind the film
The narrative draws on the biography of Bilal Bin Rabah. As a child he is taken from Abyssinia along with his sister and brought to the Arabian Peninsula. The film follows his struggle against injustice and his path out of slavery. He embraces Islam, gains his freedom, and becomes a respected figure in the same society that once enslaved him.
Its themes are courage, love, and justice, framed around a central character offered as a role model for younger viewers. That focus on values and heritage sits close to the storytelling tradition seen in Saudi television classics such as Tash Ma Tash and Shabab Al Bomb.
Where the film sits in Saudi cinema history
Bilal arrived before the current wave of institutional support for local production. Today the sector has a dedicated regulator, industry events such as the Saudi Film Criticism Conference and an international presence documented in reports on the Film Commission at Berlinale. Digital distribution has widened reach too, as seen in the Ministry of Culture partnership with TikTok.
Key takeaways
- Bilal was produced in English in 2015 as a 3D animated historical adventure.
- It premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival on December 9, 2015.
- It screened at Cannes in May 2016 and reached Middle East theaters on September 8, 2016.
- Ayman Jamal directed; Barajoun Entertainment produced.
Frequently asked questions related to Bilal film
What is the Bilal film about?
It follows Bilal Bin Rabah from his abduction as a child in Abyssinia through his enslavement, his acceptance of Islam, and his rise to a respected position in Arabian society.
Who produced it?
The Saudi company Barajoun Entertainment, with Ayman Jamal writing and directing and Khurram Alavi co-directing.
When was it released?
It was produced in 2015 and premiered that December in Dubai, then released in Middle East theaters on September 8, 2016.
Is the film in Arabic or English?
It was produced in English, which supported its screenings at international festivals including Cannes.
The bottom line
Bilal proved a Saudi studio could deliver feature animation at international festival standard years before the sector had formal support structures. Background on the film’s cultural context is published by the Ministry of Culture.
