Directed by famous Syrian director Najdat Aznour, King of the Sands tells the story of rise of the founder of Saudi kingdom, Ibn Saud, from an obscure tribal leader in Kuwait to the undisputed ruler of the Arabian peninsula.

The film depicts Ibn Saud as an unscrupulous, bloodthirsty womanizer who was a pawn of the British.

The movie has drawn fierce criticism from Riyadh which deems it disrespectful toward the Al Saud founder.

Anzour told Al Alam on Sunday that, “we have spoken about historical facts and haven’t distorted the history”.

Saudi Arabia has been angered by the movie, considering it a great disrespect to king Abdulaziz.

Earlier this week Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz called Aznour, “director of Jihad al-Nikah” and said his movie “will be thrown in the rubbish bin of art works”.

HE wrote in his Twitter account that he has asked a friend to tell Syrian President Bashar Assad ban the movie in his country which has been suffering from a deadly insurgency that Riyadh happens to be one its strongest supporters.

Saudi prince wrote that he hoped “for all the favors Abdul Aziz Al Saud has done for Syria and the Syrian government and nations can’t ever forget,” Bashar Assad orders banning the movie.

In an interview with Lebanese Al Akhbar daily on November 30th, Assad said the whole war in Syria could end if Saudi Arabia stopped arming and supporting militants who poured to the country following 2013 pro-reform protests.

Saudi Arabia, along with Qatar and Turkey have been strongest supporters of the war in Syria with Riyadh and Doha spending billions of dollars to support militants.

Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who is Director General of the Saudi Intelligence Agency has been referred by many as a one of the main figures leading the war against Syria.

Nearly three years of crisis has taken its toll on the lives of around 126,000 people in Syria, according to new statistics compiled by the United Nations. Millions have also been displaced due to the turmoil.

SHI/SHI