“Hanna” Marks the First Co-Production with Bilibili as Saudi Content Expands Globally

Annecy, France | BETH | B

Saudi Arabia’s Manga Productions participated in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, one of the world’s leading events dedicated to animation and creative content, where the company showcased projects and productions reflecting Saudi culture and identity, while strengthening its international presence and building strategic partnerships across the entertainment and content industries.

During the festival, the company announced its new short film project, “Hanna,” in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The film tells the story of a hearing-impaired girl striving to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, in a work that combines cultural depth with universal human themes aimed at global audiences.

“Hanna” represents the first animation co-production between Bilibili and an Arab company, and is one of the outcomes of the strategic partnership signed between the two sides in 2025 to enhance cooperation in content creation, production, and distribution.

Manga Productions also highlighted the global success of the Saudi-Japanese anime series “Future’s Folktales 2,” which has achieved more than 151 million views and generated over 450 media features across five continents. The company further announced the continued global expansion of the series through multiple platforms and languages.

BETH Analysis

For years, the presence of Arab content at international events was largely focused on introducing local culture to global audiences.

Today, however, the competition appears to have entered a different phase:

Who has the ability to create a local story capable of crossing borders?

This is where the significance of “Hanna” becomes clear.

The story is not merely about a short film; it is about a production partnership between a Saudi company and one of China’s leading digital platforms, operating in one of the world’s largest entertainment and content markets.

The choice of a hearing-impaired girl as the central character also carries significance beyond entertainment, reflecting a growing focus on human-centered stories that can resonate with international audiences without losing their cultural roots.

From another perspective, the project reflects a broader transformation within Saudi Arabia’s creative industries—from importing content and creative formats to actively participating in their production and exporting them to major international markets.

As investment in the creative economy continues to grow, and Saudi talent gains increasing visibility in animation, gaming, and film, the question is no longer:

Can Saudi content reach the world?

But rather:

Which stories emerging from Saudi Arabia will be most capable of speaking to the world through a shared human language?