Masameer (Arabic: مسامير) is a Saudi Arabian animated series developed by the studio Myrkott, a studio co-established in 2014 by Faisal Alamer, Abdulaziz Al-Muzaini, and Malik Nejer,[1] with its head office in Riyadh. In 2020 the studio signed, with Netflix, a deal for exclusive distribution for a five year period.[2]
It includes parody of Saudi societal issues. In 2017, Zahraa Alkhaisi of CNN wrote that the series was "satirical" and that the topics "would have been taboo until very recently."[1]
The namesake is the area Masameer.[1]
Masameer: The Movie was released for Netflix[3] and earned about 7.5 million riyal. The second season of Masameer County premiered on March 2, 2023.[4]
In 2021, the 'Masameer Experience' a Simworx dynamic media attraction based on the series, was opened at the BLVD Ruh City development in Saudi Arabia.[5]
On June 26, 2024, Masameer creator Abdulaziz al-Muzaini announced that a Saudi court was prosecuting him with charges that he and his company had "sponsored and supported terrorism and homosexuality" in Masameer. The case had been set in motion in 2021, coinciding with the series' release on Netflix. Muzaini was sentenced to 13 years in prison and a 13 year travel ban, increased to a 30 year travel ban following Muzaini's attempt to appeal the verdict. The case is pending an appeal to the Saudi Arabia Supreme Court.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c Alkhaisi, Zahraa (2017-12-14). "The studio behind the satirical Saudi cartoon millions are watching". CNN. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- ^ Bedirian, Razmig (2020-09-16). "Saudi animation studio behind 'Masameer' signs five-year deal with Netflix". The National. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- ^ "Masameer the Movie is coming to Netflix following its success in theaters". Saudi Gazette. 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- ^ Lind, Emily Alyn (21 February 2023). "Masameer County Season 2 Will Debut on Netflix". Next TV Series. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
- ^ Whittaker, Adam (2021-11-04). "Simworx experience opens at BLVD RUH City". Blooloop. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ Washington Post Editorial Board (23 August 2024). "In Saudi Arabia, a popular animator faces jail time — for being irreverent". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
External links
edit- Myrkott Animation Studio (in English and Arabic)
- Masameer Classics - Netflix
- Masameer: The Movie - Netflix
- Masameer at IMDb
- Masameer the Movie at IMDb
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