The New York Film Academy has played an active role by offering workshops and training through a collaboration with the prestigious youth arts festival of Hakaya Misk, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. NYFA is presenting workshops and trainings on the topics of film production and screenwriting in collaboration with the Pre-Hakaya workshops.
دروسٌ تغذي الإلهام وتحدٍ يرفع الطموح بين الخبراء العالميين والشباب المبدعين على مقاعد الدورات الاستباقية في #حكايا_مسك. pic.twitter.com/MDqU26XjFL
— مبادرات مسك الخيرية (@MiSKinitiatives) August 12, 2017
According to Hakaya Misk’s official website, the festival is a cutting-edge Saudi Festival which focuses on incubating creative skills in the next generation through culturally and educationally conscious content creation: “The festival aims to motivate, teach, and inspire youth to express their ideas through writing stories, storytelling, painting, animation, production, and other forms of art.” Through local and international professional partnerships, the festival invites young people to participate in workshops, inspiring platforms, and exhibits, while building skills in storytelling through the visual arts. Events at Hakaya Misk are also offered for adults who are locally active in the creative fields.
As the Washington Post has reported, Saudi Arabia is developing a new generation of artists and opportunities within a burgeoning film industry, which includes aspiring filmmakers have studied at the New York Film Academy. NYFA MFA alumna Lamia al-Shwwier told the Washington Post, “We have so many incredible stories to tell, whether they are stories of success or challenge. Our society is rich in stories and ideas.”
At Hakaya Misk, NYFA alumni will be holding one-hour workshops daily, while NYFA representatives are present among the local production companies who also partner with Hakaya Misk. The festival has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors through four sessions held in Riyadh, King Abdullah Economic City in Makkah, Dhahran in Eastern Province, and Abha in Aseer Province.
“New York Film Academy is honored to have partnered with Misk in the Pre-Hakaya workshops in Riyadh,” NYFA’s Dean of Enrollment Services Tami Alexander reported from the event. “We had the opportunity to teach over 40 men and women interested in developing their craft in either film production or screenwriting. Our NYFA instructors were thrilled with the students’ confidence, ability and pride in their craft, and the opportunity to experience local Saudi culture.”