DUBAI: Saudi actress and screenwriter Sarah Taibah made an appearance at the El-Gouna Film Festival in Egypt at the weekend, where she joined discussions on the creative forces shaping performances.
Taibah took part in a panel titled “The Actor’s Choice: Who Gets To Shape a Performance,” which explored the relationship between actors and directors and how their respective visions influence the development of a character on screen.
She was joined by Amir El-Masry, Amina Khalil, Yasmina El-Abd, and Salma Abu Deif.
The appearance comes as Taibah enjoys a career milestone, with her latest film, “A Matter of Life and Death,” selected as Saudi Arabia’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards in 2027.
Directed by Anas Ba Tahaf, the romantic dark comedy is set in contemporary Jeddah and stars Taibah as Hayat, a woman convinced that a family curse means she will die on her 30th birthday.
Her life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Yousef, played by Yaqoub Al-Farhan, an introverted heart surgeon whose unusually slow heartbeat has left him emotionally guarded.
Blending romance, fantasy and black comedy, the film explores mortality, superstition and the possibility of love.
Taibah also wrote the screenplay, highlighting her work behind the camera as well as her performance in the lead role. The film premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December 2025 before its Saudi theatrical release in June 2026.
For the El-Gouna Film Festival’s opening ceremony, Taibah opted for a look featuring a dress by Kojak Studio, a purse by Meshmesh Official and jewelry by S. Eltobgy Jewelry, bringing together regional fashion and accessories for the occasion.