Ali Kalthami

Ali Kalthami’s no stranger to shaking things up in the Saudi film scene. He kicked things off with digital gems like “Khambalah” and “La Yekthar,” where his knack for storytelling set him apart. The guy’s got this killer instinct for what grabs people, and it really exploded with “AlKhallat”—a digital series that ran for over ten years. Netflix even scooped it up for their own spin, so yeah, global stage unlocked. Back in 2016, he dropped “Wasati,” a short film that made waves for its biting social commentary and just plain bold style. People noticed, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why. But Ali’s not just a one-trick pony. He helped build Telfaz11 into a powerhouse, pumping out content that racked up billions—yeah, billions—of views. That’s not a typo. We’re talking a fan base topping 30 million across all sorts of platforms. This guy knows how to get people watching, and more importantly, coming back for more. Fast forward to TIFF 2023, and Kalthami rolled out “Mandoob,” a drama-thriller that dives deep into the shadows of Riyadh. The story trails a delivery driver who gets sucked into the city’s underbelly, where desperation and opportunity get tangled up in ways that are anything but predictable. It’s gritty, tense, and honestly, it just cements Kalthami as a director who’s not afraid to dig into the messy, complicated stuff. The dude’s not just making movies—he’s making waves.