Saudi director on how the kingdom's dedication to the film industry is paying off

The 11th Saudi Film Festival has concluded, but the event – which ran from Thursday to Wednesday – was one of the biggest yet, with 68 films selected for screening. It's another sign of the country's growing commitment to building a vibrant and successful film industry.

Saudi filmmaker Mansour Albadran, the vice president of the festival, says the annual event has grown every year, in terms of film screenings and attendance. He adds that the quality of films from the kingdom is also improving as the festival attempts to stay on top of this trend.

“The quality of Saudi film production is sufficient for us to raise the bar in terms of selecting only the films that we feel have reached a level of global professionalism,” Albadran tells The National.

Being a filmmaker himself, Albadran knows about the challenges, but adds that the Saudi film industry has come a long way in the past decade since the inception of the festival.

“There’s no doubt that Saudi cinema has witnessed major leaps and developments over the past 10 years," he says. "We're talking about a time when cinemas didn’t even exist and today, thankfully, they are here."

He credits the event for also playing a pivotal role. For instance, the festival has a production market, a place where investors, producers, filmmakers and industry professionals can come together to explore opportunities. Albadran says filmmakers can also connect with investors who could come into a project at the beginning or middle of its production and help get it across the line.

"In this edition, more than 17 entities from within the kingdom and abroad are involved in cinema, filmmaking and supporting directors. All of them are driving and supporting entities for the cinema sector," he adds.

Another benefit of the festival is its role as a place of mentorship. There is a stage within the production market where professionals in the industry give talks and hold panel discussions.

These days, most of the films made in Saudi Arabia are either light-hearted comedies or documentaries that focus on different parts of society. As most new filmmakers are young and male, they are choosing to make films for people in their demographic. However, he notes that directors are switching focus, going away from genres such as drama to challenge themselves.

“What makes me happy is that Saudi films are approachable and understandable for the average viewer, reaching the most amount of people," he says. "I hope we can also start to experiment with new genres of filmmaking like science fiction and historical epics. I think they are important genres with a lot of potential for us.”

Today, Saudi titles are being produced in impressive numbers and can be found at film festivals, movie theatres and streaming services. In 2023, the Saudi Film Commission confirmed continued rapid growth of the country's film industry across all sectors, including moviegoers, cinemas, box office and film production capacity.

Albadran says he hopes this trend continues and that one day Saudi films will gain major global attention.

“We're happy with the leaps and transformations that have taken place, all within the framework of Vision 2030, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We believe it’s playing a very effective role in developing this vital sector."