FIVE THINGS ABOUT SAUDI ARABIA ENDING MOVIE BAN

1 SHUTTERED IN 1980S

Saudi Arabia says it will allow movie theatres to open in the conservative kingdom next year. The resolution passed on Monday is a stark reversal in a country where movie theatres were shut down in the 1980s during a wave of ultraconservatism. Many of Saudi Arabia’s clerics view Western movies and even Arabic films made in Egypt and Lebanon as sinful.

2 SEGREGATED AUDIENCES?

The first cinemas are expected to open in March, 2018. It was not immediately clear if theatres would have family- only sections, segregating women and families from male- only audiences. Another unknown was whether most major Hollywood, Bollywood and Arabic movie releases would be shown in theatres and how heavily edited the content will be.

3 INDUSTRY CELEBRATES

Many Saudis took to Twitter to express their joy at the news, posting images of buckets of movie theatre popcorn and moving graphics of people dancing, fainting and crying. “It’s spectacular news. We are in a state of shock,” said Saudi actor and producer, Hisham Fageeh. “We are essentially pioneers because we all took risks to work in this industry. We were super lucky, because luck is always a factor of whether we make it or not.”

4 CIRCUMVENTING BAN AND CENSORS

Even with the decades- long ban on movie theatres, Saudi filmmakers and movie buffs were able to circumvent traditional censors by streaming movies online and watching films on satellite TV. Many also travelled to neighbouring countries like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to go to movie theatres. One Saudi Twitter on Monday user posted a picture of the causeway linking Saudi Arabia with Bahrain, writing “Goodbye.”

5 FRESH MOVE BY YOUNG CROWN PRINCE

It is the latest social push by the country’s young crown prince, who has the support of his father, King Salman. Mohammed bin Salman is behind measures such as lifting a ban on women driving and bringing back concerts and other entertainment. They are part of the 32-year- old heir to the throne’s so- called Vision 2030 that aims to boost local spending and create jobs.