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Our story

It started with a father watching cartoons with his son

More than 30 years of Arab animation, from Cairo to the Kingdom

The beginning

A question in America

While Alabbas was finishing his PhD in America, he noticed how cartoons were shaping his five-year-old son's imagination. There was no Arab animation that reflected who we are, so he decided to change his whole career.

An old photo of a smiling five-year-old at the front door
The boy who started it all, America
1992

A studio and a school in Cairo

He founded Alsahar Animation in Cairo. There was no industry to join, so the studio became a school before it became a company, training generations of Arab artists and animators.

Habatabat posterAlshebr W'nos posterGeodesia posterThe Web poster
Some of Alsahar's first series
2006

MediaBox in the Kingdom

He founded MediaBox to build the animation industry in the Kingdom. From here came Mezna & Family on MBC, Lahzat Sa'ada for Saudi TV, and most recently Kawkab Faj3an on Shahid.

Mezna & Family poster, MBCKawkab Faj3an poster
Mezna & Family, Lahzat Sa'ada and Kawkab Faj3an
20 years

The bigger dream

Profits from the series funded The Knight and the Princess. It premiered at El Gouna in 2019, was selected for Annecy in 2020, and won the Grand Prize at ANIMAFILM in 2021.

A scene from The Knight and the PrincessThe film team at the El Gouna premiere, 2019
From the film, and from the El Gouna premiere
Today

One name carries the story

MediaBox is a Saudi company with a strong production team, making series, ads and content for Ramadan and all year round.

2D and 3D animation, today
Alsahar Animation logo

We began as Alsahar Animation in Cairo in 1992. All of Alsahar's work and awards are part of the MediaBox story.

Our journey

More than 30 years of stories

Award or festivalMilestone
  1. 1992Alsahar Animation founded in Cairo
  2. 1997Bronze Trophy and Judges' Special Prize, Cairo
  3. 2002Silver Prize, Cairo International Children's Film Festival
  4. 2005Gold Prize, Arab States Broadcasting Union, Tunis
  5. 2006MediaBox founded in the Kingdom
  6. 2007Mezna & Family on MBC
  7. 2012First Prize for Animation and Direction, Alfursan Festival
  8. 2019The Knight and the Princess premieres at El Gouna
  9. 2020Official Selection at Annecy
  10. 2021Grand Prize at ANIMAFILM, and an Asia Pacific Screen Awards nomination
  11. 2025Kawkab Faj3an in Ramadan on Shahid, with season two in 2026
Leadership

Founder

Alabbas bin Alabbas Hamidaddin

Alabbas bin Alabbas Hamidaddin

Founder and General Manager

An animation producer for more than 30 years. He founded Alsahar Animation in Cairo in 1992 and MediaBox in the Kingdom in 2006, produced The Knight and the Princess, and produced and directed the short film FISHy in 2023.

Let's make your next story

Tell us what you have in mind and when you need it, and we'll come back with a concept and a timeline

+966 55 445 3881 · hello@mediabox.sa

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