Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Film Commission Prince Badr bin Abdullah inaugurated the second edition of the Saudi Film Confex in Riyadh on Wednesday.

In his speech, Prince Badr unveiled the ministry's plan to make Saudi Arabia a hub for film production. "We seek to make the Kingdom a regional and international hub for film production, as well as to empower talents, and open up horizons for strategic partnerships that contribute to developing the infrastructure and enhance the screening and distribution sector."

Prince Badr said the forum is an important step to enhance creative content and develop the infrastructure of the film industry from production to screening and distribution, which contributes to creating an integrated environment that enhances the competitiveness of the seventh art locally and internationally.

The minister stressed the importance of the film industry as an economy that is built, opportunities that are created, and stories that are written to remain in the memory of generations. "The Film Commission seeks through the confex to establish a new stage that goes beyond the limits of creativity and learning, and for an integrated film industry that represents a bridge for cultural and economic communication with the world," he said.

An elite group of producers, artists, specialists, and filmmakers from within the Kingdom and abroad are participating in the four-day event. The first day witnessed huge presence of specialized and interested filmmakers. Several enriching dialogue sessions were held within the accompanying confex program, moving between specialized titles in the film industry and its great cultural role as well as its influential economic impact and the importance of support and financing funds in the sector. This is in addition to the integration of the film sector with other development sectors to achieve promising growth and leadership that positively reflects on the local film sector.

The eight interactive areas of the forum also witnessed lively and diverse interactions, and these include the business area that provided consultations in addition to bringing together of decision-makers and entrepreneurs. It also includes the audition area; the exhibition of filming destinations in the Kingdom; the cinematic arts area; the ON-SET challenge; film talk, the young filmmaker, and the forum area in shots.

Visitors moved between 130 corners of the participating entities in the exhibition organized on the sidelines of the confex. The local and international companies and government agencies from the value chain of the film industry are meeting to exchange experiences, as well as get to know each other, and showcase their initiatives, services, and investment opportunities, with the aim of achieving integration between various sectors.

The Saudi Film Confex is the first event of its kind in the Kingdom, and that aims to empower and develop the film industry in the Kingdom. It enhances investment opportunities and partnerships in it, in line with the national cultural strategy derived from the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to build a bright future for the film and arts industry in the Kingdom.

The event includes a cultural program that covers more than 35 events with the participation of over 65 prominent speakers including 30 dialogue sessions, 15 specialized workshops, and film talk sessions in various fields of the film industry.

It is noteworthy that the second edition of the Saudi Film Confex 2024 is an extension of the success achieved by the first edition, as it highlights the economic role of the growing film industry in the Kingdom, and the exchange of experiences between filmmakers in an effort to develop this industry locally and create a capable generation that contributes to leading the future scene in the world of cinema.