Saudi Film Commission launch strategy with aspirations to turn sector into half a billion dollar industry

• Film Commission sets sights on Saudi Arabia becoming a global hub for film production. 

• Six focus areas from talent development to film and production show the Kingdom’s commitment to its film sector aspirations.

Riyadh – The Film Commission launched its strategy today, setting out key pillars and initiatives that will establish the Kingdom as a world-class film hub with a target to build an industry with a revenue of $500 million.

Film Commission CEO Abdullah AlQhatani said: “The Saudi film sector has gone from strength to strength with the emergence of the sector providing once-in-a-lifetime business opportunities and partnerships. The strategy provides our roadmap to achieve our aspirations of making Saudi a global hub for film production and talent. The cinema industry in Saudi  is one of the fastest growing in the Middle East, which is further evidence that the Saudi film sector is the emerging market to watch.”

The film commission strategy focuses on six areas:

• Ensuring a world-class talent pipeline and ensuring homegrown talent can compete with the best;
• Creating a film sector that can compete in terms of services, offerings and incentives;
• Boosting domestic film production;
• Attracting further international production houses;
• Embedding a regulatory framework that enhances the quick development of the sector;
• Promoting and distributing Saudi films in regional and international markets.

The six focus areas are supported by an array of inititatives to include an international incentives offer, to be announced soon, that will ensure Saudi is a competitive filming destination and that will encourage local and international filmmakers to choose the Kingdom to shoot their next blockbuster. 

A new Saudi Film Institute will also be launched, dedicated to film production and professional training in cinematic storytelling, and wider creative and technical skills, such as sound engineering and animation. This will be dovetailed by the launch of a national training program for talent development in technical film industry skills including professional certification.

An investment and awareness program to attract local and international film studios, private  entities and suppliers will also strengthen the filmmaking value chain. As will the launch of an online one-stop-shop where permits, licenses, visas and other requirements can be applied for with ease, making  the film production process quick and straighforward.

The commission will also establish a National Archive of Films through the collection, digitization and preservation of historical Saudi films and audiovisual content, including the preservation of equipment used. 

The strategy launch comes ahead of the first ever Red Sea International Film Festival launching in Jeddah between the 6 - 13 December. The inaugural festival will see local, regional and international film enthusiasts, filmmakers and film investors descend on the Red Sea coast to bookend the film festival calendar for 2021. The Film Commission has been actively involved in  the development of the festival and will be located in the Red Sea Souk which is the film market running alongside the public festival.

-Ends- 

Contact:
For further enquiries email media@moc.gov.sa

About the Film Commission: 

• The Film Commission, one of the Ministry of Culture’s 11 sector-specific commissions, oversees the Kingdom’s evolving film sector, supporting established and aspiring film professionals, and identifying and promoting local Saudi talent.
• The Film Commission launched in 2020 to drive the growth of a thriving production ecosystem to address the increase in domestic and international demand.
• The Film Commission is enabling the Saudi film industry through embedding a regulatory framework, driving investment into the sector, developing homegrown talent and building international partnerships.
• The Film Commission contributes indirectly to three National Culture Strategy objectives: increasing the direct contribution of the Commission to the Kingdom’s GDP, increasing the number of jobs in the sector, and increasing the number of long-form films that are locally produced.

About the Ministry of Culture:

• The Ministry of Culture is leading a cultural transformation to develop a rich ecosystem that nurtures creativity, unlocks the economic potential of the sector and unleashes new and inspiring forms of expression.

• As part of these efforts, the Ministry of Culture is seeking to bolster the presence of Saudi heritage and culture at events across the Kingdom and overseas, enabling participants to engage with the Kingdom’s rich and diverse history and preserve Saudi heritage for generations to come. 

© Press Release 2021