July 2026 At Hayy Cinema

Join Hayy Cinema this July for a continuation of stories exploring identity, memory, and human connection, with extended screenings of this season’s featured films.

The lineup continues with A Matter of Life and Death (2025), a Saudi rom-com where fate, fear, and unlikely love collide; The Stories (2025), a cross-cultural tale of connection through letters and shared humanity; and You Will Die at Twenty (2019), in which a young man grows up under a prophecy that he will die at the age of twenty. This month also continues Hayy Cinema’s Rendezvous with French Cinema, featuring weekly Friday screenings, including Jacques Demy’s beloved musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964).

Later this month, Hayy Cinema will introduce In Short: Film Programme, a new series showcasing a curated selection of short films by emerging and established filmmakers. Celebrating bold storytelling and diverse perspectives, the programme highlights the creativity and innovation of the short film format.

From acclaimed feature films and timeless classics to exciting new short films, July at Hayy Cinema celebrates storytelling across cultures and perspectives. Stay tuned to our social media channels for the full In Short: Film Programme lineup, screening schedule, and updates.

Book your tickets in person via the on-site ticketing booth.

Extended Releases 

A Saudi romantic comedy starring Yagoub Alfarhan and Sarah Taibah, where fate, fear, and an unexpected connection collide.

A Matter of Life and Death (2025)

With a deadly curse counting down the days, a reckless young woman forces a stone-cold heart surgeon into a wild pact to outsmart death, sparking chaos, comedy, and an impossible love story against the clock.

Directed by: Anas Ba-Tahaf
Genre: Comedy, Romance Duration: 1h55m
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia, Egypt
Language: Arabic  Subtitles: English
Cast: Sarah Taibah, Yagoub Alfarhan, Hosam Al-Harthy, Fay Fouad, Amani Aljameel, Ghada Aboud, Rahaf Ibrahim, Najla Alabdullah
Age Classification: PG 

Dates: July 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12 2026

The Stories (2025)

Set between the late 1960s and 1980s, the film follows Ahmed, a young Cairo man dreaming of becoming a concert pianist, whose life changes after beginning a pen-pal romance with an Austrian woman during the 1967 war.

Directed by: Abu Bakr Shawky
Genre: Drama Duration: 2h
Country of Production: Egypt, France, Austria and Sweden
Language: Arabic, English, German Subtitles: Arabic, English
Cast: Osama Abdallah, Sherief El Desouky, Amir El-Masry, Nelly Karim
Age Classification: R18

Dates: July 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 12 2026

“A pure reflection of cultural and religious realities faced in adolescence, beautifully directed and acted”– IMDB

You Will Die at Twenty (2019)

Shortly after Muzamil is born, a village figure predicts he will die at the age of twenty. Raised by his protective mother after his father leaves, he grows up under the weight of this prophecy as he nears adulthood and begins to question his fate.

Directed by: Amjad Abu Alala 
Genre: Drama Duration: 1h43m
Country of Production: Sudan, France, Egypt, Germany,, Norway, Qatar
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Cast: Mustafa Shehata, Islam Mubark, Mahmoud Elsara, Bunna Khalid, Talal Afifi, Amal Mustafa, Moatasem Rashid, Asjad Mohamed
Age Classification: R15

Dates: July 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 2026

Timeless Classics and Rendezvous with French Cinema

This month at Hayy Cinema, a special screening of a timeless French classic brings together classic cinema and French language learning. Join every Friday to revisit a landmark film celebrating love, style, and storytelling. 

“A memorable Palme d’or winner at 17th  Festival De Cannes and a classic for all generations” – Festival De Cannes

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

In the seaside town of Cherbourg, young lovers Geneviève and Guy are separated when war calls him away to Algeria. Faced with love, loss, and impossible choices, Geneviève must decide between holding onto the past or embracing an uncertain future.

Directed by: Jacques Demy
Genre: Musical, Romance, Drama Duration: 1h31m
Country of Production: France
Language: French  Subtitles: English, Arabic
Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon, Marc Michel
Age Classification: R15

Dates: July 2, 9, 10, 11 2026

Join us for the screenings of the third edition of “Kef Hayyak?”!

“Kef Hayyak?” is Hayy Cinema’s documentary filmmaking challenge that invites aspiring filmmakers to capture the stories and spirit of Jeddah’s neighborhoods using only their phones. For its third edition, 13 projects were selected to take part in the programme, where participants received mentorship and developed their ideas into short documentary films that reflect authentic, community-driven perspectives.

The selected films from this year’s edition will continue screening at Hayy Cinema every Sunday and Wednesday until July 15. Join us to discover Jeddah through the eyes of its emerging filmmakers.