Cinema Tourism

On the X platform, consultant Turki al-Sheikh said in a post through his official account, dated July 01, 2024,” in two weeks, the screening of the film Sons of Rizk 3 achieves more than USD15 million, equivalent to more than EGP720 million, “and this comes in conjunction with the celebration of the chairman of the Saudi entertainment authority to sweep the film” Sons of Rizk 3 ” movie revenue lists, sending a message to those who thought that the film did not reap its production costs.

Some say that the end of the era of traditional cinema is near, especially in light of technological progress, in an increasingly interconnected digital world, talking about cinema is an interesting and speculative topic, due to the development of innovations in virtual reality technologies, artificial intelligence, and digital viewing platforms on the cinematic scene today, paving the way for a new era of immersive and interactive storytelling.

While some expect these changes, Saudi cinema stands out as a model of the challenges and opportunities that await the global film industry, as Saudi Arabia has shown great interest in establishing itself as a major player in the global film industry, in the context of a new era of Transformative Development launched by the “Saudi Vision 2030”, which aims to take advantage of the potential of non-oil sectors, specifically entertainment and culture, enhance the quality of life of citizens and residents, increase employment, localization and efficiency rates, and despite growing concerns about the future of cinemas in light of technological developments and changing audience viewing behavior, the opening of the first In April 2018, it is considered an important turning point in the history of the Saudi film industry, which showed Saudi Arabia’s determination to align itself with the latest global trends, and adopt advanced technology in the film industry within the framework of the “Saudi Vision 2030”.

During the past years (2023-2018), the film sector witnessed a growth in the number of cinemas and supporting services for the film industry, which contributed to stimulating film production and enhancing the development of the quality and quantity of local films, and this increase was represented in 2022 by the growth of the number of production and screening companies and local Saudi products, as the total current commercial records of film production companies reached approximately 1,510 commercial records by the end of 2022, the number of cinema screens reached 584, and the number of cinemas to 63 theaters distributed over the regions of the kingdom with an increase in cinemas exceeding 100% 2020, as well as locally produced films reached more than 11 feature films against 7 Films produced in 2021, according to the report of the Ministry of culture entitled “The state of culture in Saudi Arabia 2021”.

The trend towards international joint film projects is currently a major motivating factor for the Hollywood film industry, which benefits from financial incentives in a number of countries around the world, in turn, these countries benefit from increased economic activity, job creation, and knowledge and cultural exchange.

In the years from (2021-2024), the kingdom of Saudi Arabia witnessed the production of many international cinematic works, which were filmed in various regions of Saudi Arabia, such as Alula governorate, Jeddah, the capital Riyadh, Tabuk, and cities, which made the kingdom of Saudi Arabia the kiss of world cinema, from directors and producers, by providing it with a strong infrastructure and a large number of theaters, as the kingdom has managed in recent years to establish cinema tourism, one visit to the theaters shows this, and provides logistical facilities and the necessary financial support, as well as the kingdom’s possession of the latest technologies audio-visual that ensure the delivery of a unique cinematic experience, such as Quad Cinema Dimensions.

We also look forward to Riyadh, and the rest of the kingdom’s cities, being a center for the production and filming of international films, and also to be a center for post-production, financing and distribution of films in the region, and to be a destination for film talents, filmmakers and students as well, and this requires attention to the establishment of universities and specialized film institutes in them.

There is no doubt that such international cinematic works will also help in the rapid access of Saudi cinema to international markets because of the exchange of experiences and knowledge, which opens up new opportunities for Saudi directors to work on international projects with Saudi talents, and cooperation with other artists from different countries and cultures that raise the value of Saudi production, improve the production and narrative tools and the overall quality of Saudi film, which would pave the way for a bright and developed Saudi future in the field of film industry and cinematic arts.