Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity has released Athar Origins , a new documentary chronicling the story behind the creation and growth of the festival during its first three years.
The documentary premiered at an exclusive press launch held in Riyadh on 1 September, following an industry panel featuring Ian Fairservice , Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group ; Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS ; and Ahmed Al Sahhaf, CEO of MBC Media Solutions .
Athar Origins moves away from the traditional event highlight film. Instead, it looks at what it takes to build a new platform for the Saudi creative industry: from the initial conversations behind Athar and its first edition to the decisions, challenges and milestones that have shaped its development since.
Kamille Marchant, Festival Director, Athar Festival , said, “To look at what Athar has become today; the scale of the community, the conversations taking place, the talent coming through and the growing ambition around Saudi creativity; is incredibly rewarding. Athar Origins captures that journey honestly: the ideas, the challenges, the people behind it and the belief that has carried us from our first edition to where we are today. And while a lot has changed in three years, it still feels like we’re only getting started.”
Through conversations with members of the Athar team, alongside footage from previous editions, the film provides a more personal look at a festival usually experienced through its stages, speakers, awards and audiences.
At its centre is the question of how Athar came to exist in the first place – and how an initial idea developed alongside a Saudi creative industry undergoing significant change.
The documentary revisits moments from across the festival’s journey, but also focuses on the work taking place away from the stage. Team members reflect on the scale of putting each edition together, responding to rapid growth, developing new initiatives and creating something intended to serve an increasingly ambitious creative community.
Athar Origins was created in collaboration with Media Turtles , who worked with the Athar team to translate three years of memories, footage and individual perspectives into one narrative.
For Media Turtles, the challenge was therefore not simply documenting an event, but finding the human story behind its development.
Aya Ahmad Maher, Chief Innovation Officer, Media Turtles Network , said, “There’s something special about watching a team work; seeing how they think, how they solve problems and how they feel in the moment. What you see on the ground for a day or two on the days of the festival, is really the tip of the iceberg; behind it are nights, weeks and months, of small decisions, late nights, and quiet breakthroughs.”
Maher added, “Through Media Turtles’ partnership with Athar Festival, we wanted to give space to the process, the people, the thinking that goes into the work. A documentary like this doesn’t just capture a moment. It becomes a timeless piece we can always come back to, whenever we want to remember what it took to build Athar’s Origins.”
The timing of the documentary also comes as Athar prepares for its fourth edition, taking place from 24–25 November 2026 at Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention.
The upcoming edition is set to feature more than 200 Saudi, regional and international speakers across an exp…