Meet the Stars of ‘A Matter Of Life & Death’: A Quirky Saudi Romantic Comedy at Red Sea
Local actors Yaqoub Alfarhan, known for his roles in Scales and Norah, and Sarah Taibah, who stars in Mandoob, portray an unexpected couple in the new romantic comedy A Matter Of Life And Death. Set in Jeddah, this film represents one of the most distinctive local productions since Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year cinema ban in 2017.
In the film, Taibah plays Hayat, a superstitious young woman who fears she is cursed. Alfarhan’s character, Youssef, is a shy doctor grappling with a heart condition that compels him to hide his emotions. The two characters face their own existential challenges, drawing them closer despite the odds.
A Matter Of Life And Death marks the second feature of Jeddah-based Yemeni director Anas Ba-Tahaf, who gained recognition for his debut film Fay’s Palette in 2021. This previous project focused on a girl confined at home by a controlling brother and made its premiere at the inaugural Red Sea Film Festival alongside other early productions emerging from the kingdom post-ban.
Taibah and Ba-Tahaf share a long-standing collaboration; Taibah appeared in Fay’s Palette and co-wrote the TV series Jameel Jeddan, where she also played a leading role as a girl awakening from a five-year coma.
First announced at last year’s Red Sea Film Festival, A Matter Of Life And Death is produced by Film Clinic from Cairo and Front Row Productions based in Dubai, in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Arabia Pictures Group.
