The most memorable question he received, however, was from a viewer who "wondered if the cats that passed through in some of the scenes symbolised the fleeting nature of life."
Alkalthami felt that the participation of three Saudi films in TIFF was a move in the right direction.
"This participation enabled us to display at least a small part of our own stories amid an abundance of films from across the world. It's proof of the global language of cinema," he said.
"Films can speak to people from all backgrounds. It appeals to them by depicting a story in a unique artistic style, even in a language they don't understand."
From the desert to the world
Meanwhile, Hajjan director Shawqi referred to the participation of the Kingdom in the global festival as "a historical moment for Saudi cinema."
"It's rare to have three Saudi films presented during an international festival like TIFF. All in all, our participation has revealed promising up-and-coming filmmakers, actors, and actresses. It's also proven the openness of Saudi cinematographers to the world" he said.
His film Hajjan, shot in the Arabian desert, revolves around ancient traditional folktales told by Bedouins who would race against the wind on fast camels. To him, it was a way to share a small part of local culture with viewers.
Shawqi said they had to film the camel races in areas that were "very hard to reach." They were able to elevate the storytelling through this "mysterious environment laden with folktales."
Keeping it real
For Alkalthami and co-writer and actor, Ali Alqaran, it was important to keep the dialogue realistic. They also wanted to ensure the backdrop of the film felt authentic.
"In pre-production, we focused on depicting well-known districts of Riyadh to add credibility to the story. A production unit roamed most of the city's neighbourhoods before the film began shooting to see how these streets looked through a camera lens," he said. They could then choose the right streets based on each scene or character.
He added that seasoned actor Muhammad Altwayan, who played Naser, "was keen on reading the entire script and discussing every detail related to his character that could resonate with viewers."
"He did his best to make sure his return to cinema was as impressive and rich as his track record. His presence in the film added huge value, given his deep experience and wisdom, which kept everyone calm during filming."
Mother Nature's challenges
Meanwhile, on the unusual film set, Shawqi encountered first-hand how unpredictable mother nature can be. He had to contend with inevitable technical difficulties.
"We shot a few scenes so deep inside the desert; these spots have hardly ever been documented on camera," he said.
"We faced two challenges. First, documenting the desert, and second, successfully depicting the races. We tried to shoot each of the four race scenes in an engaging way that would bring the audience into the fold," he added.
