Saudi Arabia opens pavilion at Cannes Film Festival to promote growing industry

The Saudi Film Commission has opened the Saudi pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival to highlight the industry’s growth in cinema and film production, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The pavilion will be open to visitors daily from May 16 to 26. The Cannes Film Festival, held annually in Cannes, France, celebrates movies from all around the world, ranging from the biggest releases of the year to smaller art films and documentaries.

The Kingdom’s participation at the festival comes after a successful year of developing the local film industry, as well as the Kingdom’s efforts to become a global hub for film production and talent, the Film Commission CEO Abdullah al-Eyyaf said.

Saudi Arabia’s revenues from cinema are currently the fastest growing in the Middle East, al-Eyyaf added.

The Saudi pavilion, located in the international village, showcases a group of key local actors in the film sector, including the Cultural Development Fund, the Ministry of Investment, the Red Sea Film Festival, Film AlUla Department, NEOM Company, Saudi Film Festival and MBC Studios, along with a group of promising Saudi filmmakers who recently finished producing their work and contributed to the development of the local film making industry.

The Kingdom hosts two film festivals annually: the Saudi Film Festival and the Red Sea International Film Festival.

The Saudi Film Festival, held at the Ithra Center, has become a critical starting point for new and passionate voices.

Meanwhile, the Red Sea International Film Festival has been widely praised for its role in promoting the film regional and global film industry.