Saudi Arabia is quite vocal about wanting to become a major player in the global film industry and during the second edition of the edition of the Saudi Film Confex in Riyadh, Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah unveiled ambitious plans to transform the kingdom into a regional and international hub for film production.

The four day event, which ran from October 9-12, registered over 70,000 attendees and brought together producers, actors, filmmakers, distributors and exhibitors, among others, from throughout the Middle East and abroad. Industry professionals were able to participate in 30 panel discussions featuring 65 different speakers, including actor Will Smith (more on why in a moment).

In opening this year’s Saudi Film Confex Prince Badr spoke about the importance of empowering local talent and fostering strategic partnerships to develop the film industry’s infrastructure. He stated, “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.”

It is worth noting that the word “screening” and exhibition are often used interchangeably in Saudi Arabia. As proof that the country is serious about developing its film industry, in May of this year oversight of the cinema sector was transferred to the Saudi Film Commission from the General Authority of Media Regulation. The Commission is now in charge of regulating the licensing of all cinemas, production, distribution and the importation of movies. At the time, Abdullah Al-Qahtani, the Commission’s CEO, said the organization’s focus will be on “streamlining and optimizing the processes required for all activities in the cinematic sector.”

One of the Commission’s first moves was to reduce the fees for cinema operator licenses and waive them entirely for three years until 2027.

After lifting its 35-year ban on movie theatres in 2018, Saudi Arabia has grown into the largest film market in the Middle East North Africa region with a box office in 2023 of USD $245.5 million on 14,455,179 admissions. Those figures are forecast to drop in 2024 with admissions off by 5% and box office down 13% to USD $174.4 million. The differential in admissions versus box office decline is due to the Saudi Film Commission calling for lower ticket prices over the past year.

Despite these decreases, Saudi Arabia is still fairing better than the United States where box office is off by about 15%, the United Kingdom where it is down by 16% and Germany where it has fallen 17%, year-over-year.

Of course, Hollywood movies make up a large part of the country’s annual box office, despite the few occasions a title, like Pixar’s “Lightyear,” was not approved for distribution in Saudi Arabia due to specific cultural and social restrictions. Indeed, Saudi Arabia was the second largest market for the Will Smith movie “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” earlier this year, behind only the U.S. It is now the country’s highest grossing film of all time, having generated 1.7 million admissions and unseating “Top Gun: Maverick,” which formerly held the honor. Thus one for reason Mr. Smith being in attendance at the Confex.

However, Saudi Arabia’s major strength in the film industry is the success of its local content. Maybe the best example of this is “Mandoob,” a black comedy about a struggling gig-worker who winds up becoming a courier of bootleg alcohol. After premiering at both the Toronto International Film Festival and Red Sea International Film Festival last year, the film topped “Wonka” during its opening weekend last December. It has since gone on to gross USD $7 million.

With this in mind, one of the major announcements at this year’s Saudi Film Confex came from Muvi Studios, the production arm of the kingdom’s leading cinema chain. Muvi unveiled several new deals, including a partnership with Sirb Production on the anticipated social satire “Lail Nahar.” Directed by Abdulaziz Almuzaini, the film is set to release in December and promises to be a humorous commentary on the Saudi entertainment industry.

Muvi Cinemas CEO Adon Quinn expressed excitement for the project, stating that it represents the creative future of Saudi cinema. “This film represents the bold, forward-thinking approach we are committed to bringing to the Saudi film industry,” he said. “It’s not just a movie, it’s a statement about the strength and creativity of local cinema.”

Muvi also signed deals with Black Light Productions and filmmaker Ayman Khoja during the Confex, further underscoring its commitment to nurturing local talent and producing Saudi-made films.