Saudi Gazette report

THE Saudi authorities have approved the licensing of movie theaters, fulfilling the dream of many Saudis who have been patiently waiting for this landmark decision.

A number of cinema and art experts who spoke to Al-Riyadh newspaper believe cinema theaters will mark the beginning of a major cultural and intellectual era in the Kingdom. They agreed that the cinema industry could have a great influence on society and convey various messages to the public, most importantly open the door for creativity and greater interaction with other cultures.

Saudi actor Abdulelah Al-Sinani, who is an adviser to the Ministry of Information, said the upcoming film on the life of King Faisal will premiere exclusively in Saudi theaters in 2018 before its international release.

The movie "Born a King", produced by Andres Vicente Gomez, who was inspired by King Abdul Aziz’s life during a visit to Saudi Arabia, tells the true story King Faisal at the age of 14, when he was sent to on a high stakes diplomatic mission to London.

Shooting of the film, directed by well-known Spanish director Agusti Villaronga, began in London last July.

Muhammad Al-Osaimi, a columnist, sees cinema as a source of both entertainment and education, noting that movie theaters will take into consideration religious and social sensitivities as well as the traditions and customs of the country by screening films with content palatable to Saudis.

“I am sure many Saudi producers will venture into movie production and come up with movies that can be screened in local and international movie theaters. We have a large number of Saudi actors and actresses who are both professional and talented,” he said.

He called upon the authorities and the private sector to open art academies and institutes where interested people can take courses in cinema production, script writing, direction, editing and other areas of filmmaking.

Al-Osaimi said many malls in the Kingdom are suitable places where movie theaters can be built. He said many businessmen have expressed their interest to invest in movie theater projects.

Dr. Saud Kateb, academic and media specialist, says: “We should focus more on making a cinema industry that truly reflects Saudi society and its various social issues. Today, cinema has become a form of expression and a soft power many countries employ. Hollywood, for example, is a soft power that helped the US promote and spread the American culture around the world. We should also use Saudi cinema to correct the image of the Kingdom, which was intentionally smudged by the country's enemies.”

Cinema has a powerful impact on society. Each movie tries to get across a certain message to the viewers. If it is good content, it will touch people’s hearts and convey the sought-after message to the public. He also called on Saudi universities to include cinema production in their curricula.

Dr. Abla Morshid, a media expert, said the decision to open movie theaters would help create thousands of job opportunities to young Saudi men and women. It will also boost the economy as revenues of movie theaters are high and in countries they can reach billions of dollars annually.

Omar Al-Jassir, head of Art and Culture Society, Jeddah, hailed the decision and emphasized that movie theaters should be run solely by Saudi employees. He called upon the Ministry of Culture and Information to support filmmaking and encourage young men and women to make Saudi films that reflect the true image of Saudi Arabian culture.

Ibrahim Al-Hasawi, a Saudi actor, described the decision as a major step in the direction toward building a Saudi cinema industry.

“We have young men and women who have all what it takes to become professional actors and actresses and who are talented,” he said, calling upon universities to teach cinema and filmmaking as an academic specialization.