After 35 years, Saudi Arabia lifts the curtains on cinemas
Saudi Arabia lifted a 35-yearold ban on cinemas yesterday, prompting celebrations from film fans, directors and cinema chains eyeing the last untapped mass market in the Middle East.
The first cinemas could start showing films as early as March, the government said, part of a liberalising reform drive that has already opened the door to concerts, comedy shows and women drivers over the past year.
Cinemas were banned in the early 1980s under pressure from Islamists as Saudi society turned towards a particularly conservative form of the religion that discouraged public entertainment and public mixing between men and women.
But reforms led by 32-yearold Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have eased many of those restrictions, as the government tries to broaden the economy and lessen its dependence on oil.
“Opening cinemas will act as a catalyst for economic growth and diversification,” said the minister of culture
and information, Awwad bin Saleh Alawwad. “By developing the broader cultural sector, we will create employment and training opportunities, as well as enriching the kingdom’s entertainment options.”
The government said the films would be censored to ensure they remain “in line with values and principles in place and do not contradict Sharia and moral values in the kingdom”.
There was no reaction from Wahhabi clergy and conservative groups, who have responded to past suggestions about bringing back cinema with outraged social media campaigns.
Thousands of Saudis travel to neighbouring Bahrain, the UAE and other countries for their entertainment. The government has said it wants to retain the money spent on those trips.
Regional chains have also been eyeing the Saudi market. The Dubai-based mall operator Majid Al Futtaim, which owns the Vox chain, said it wanted to open its first cinema there.
“We are very happy about this. We have been waiting for it for quite some time,” said chief executive Alain Bejjani.
The government said it expected to open more than 300 cinemas with more than 2,000 screens by 2030, building an industry that would contribute more than 90 billion riyals (Dh88.15bn) to the economy and create 30,000 permanent jobs over the same period.
A commission chaired by Mr Alawwad will announce details of licensing and regulations over the next few weeks.