View source for Cinema of Saudi Arabia

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[[File:HaifaaAlMansour.JPG|thumb|[[Haifaa Al-Mansour]], Saudi film director]]

The '''cinema of Saudi Arabia''' is a fairly small industry that only produces a few feature films and [[documentaries]] every year. Theaters were closed after religious activism in the 1980s. With the exception of one [[IMAX]] theater in [[Khobar]], there were no [[Movie theater|cinemas]] in [[Saudi Arabia]] from 1983 to 2018,<ref name=mansour>{{cite web|last1=Lapin|first1=Andrew|title=Wadjda director Haifaa Al Mansour|url=http://thedissolve.com/features/interview/168-wadjda-director-haifaa-al-mansour/|website=Dissolve|access-date=25 November 2014|archive-date=3 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103131510/http://thedissolve.com/features/interview/168-wadjda-director-haifaa-al-mansour/|url-status=dead}}</ref> although there was occasional talk of opening movie theaters, and in 2008 conference rooms were rented to show the Saudi comedy film ''[[Mennahi]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=SAUDI ARABIA: Going to the movies for the first time in decades|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/12/saudi-arabia--1.html|website=latimesblogs.com|access-date=14 October 2014|date=23 December 2008}}</ref> Saudis wishing to watch films have done so via [[satellite TV|satellite]], [[DVD]], or [[VHS|video]]. Cinemas were banned for 35 years<ref>{{cite web|last1=Petroff|first1=Alanna|title='Black Panther' comes to Saudi Arabia as movie theater ban ends|url=http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/18/media/saudi-arabia-movies-black-panther-amc/index.html|website=CNN.com|date=18 April 2018|access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> until the first cinema in Saudi Arabia opened on 18 April 2018 in [[Riyadh]].

Before cinemas were allowed to operate in [[Saudi Arabia]], there were several attempts to introduce cinema in the country, beginning in the 1930s by [[Saudi Aramco|Aramco]] employees. These attempts continued in the 1950s, 1970s, and throughout the first decade of the second millennium. In December 2017, the Board of Directors of the General Commission for Audiovisual Media in Saudi Arabia agreed to issue licenses to those wishing to open cinemas in the Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-11 |title=Licenses to be issued for those who wish to open cinema houses in Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1207421/saudi-arabia |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>

The government hopes that by 2030, Saudi Arabia will have more than 300 theaters with over 2,000 movie screens.<ref name=":0" /> The Commission has announced that the “Launch the Cinema Sector in the Kingdom” initiative, which is one of the Quality-of-Life Program initiatives under Vision 2030 programs, has successfully achieved its target of increasing the number of [[Movie theater|cinemas]] in Saudi Arabia to 53 in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |last2=Gazette |first2=Saudi |title=Saudi Arabias box office jumps 95% in 2021, hits $238mln sales |url=https://www.zawya.com/en/business/saudi-arabias-box-office-jumps-95-in-2021-hits-238mln-sales-yosmkx8o |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.zawya.com |language=en}}</ref>

Cinema of Saudi Arabia, whether locally-produced or foreign-sourced, is subject to [[Censorship in Saudi Arabia|Saudi censorship]].

The first Saudi film, titled “Al-Thubab” and starring Hassan Al-Ghanim, was produced in 1950,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahmoud |first=Marwa |date=2022-05-08 |title=Cinemas in Saudi Arabia …Between Past & Present |url=https://www.leaders-mena.com/cinemas-in-saudi-arabia-between-past-present/ |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Leaders |language=en-US}}</ref> though ''[[Keif al-Hal?]]'', released in 2006, was billed as Saudi Arabia's first film. It was shot in the [[United Arab Emirates]] and the lead female was played by a [[Jordan]]ian. The film ''Shadows of Silence'' was released in the same year, directed by Abdullah Al-Muhaisen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-05-03 |title=Filming in the GCC |url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/filming-in-the-gcc-1.270801 |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=gulfnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

The 2012 film ''[[Wadjda]]'' had an all-Saudi cast<ref name="Davies">{{cite web|last1=Davies|first1=Catriona|title=The film director who's not allowed to go to the movies|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/25/world/meast/saudi-film-wadjda-mansour/index.html|website=CNN World. Inside the Middle East|access-date=14 October 2014|ref=25 May 2012}}</ref> and was the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia.<ref name="rt">{{cite web|title=rotten tomatoes. Wadjda|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wadjda_2013/|website=rottentomatoes.com|access-date=14 October 2014}}</ref> The film ''[[Barakah Meets Barakah]]'' by director [[Mahmoud Sabbagh]] was shot in Jeddah in 2015, premiered at the [[66th Berlin International Film Festival]], making it the first feature film to participate in the festival. [[Sameera Aziz]] is the first Saudi filmmaker in [[Bollywood]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/511994/bollywoods-first-saudi-filmmaker-works.html|title=Bollywood's first Saudi filmmaker works on maiden venture|website=Deccan Herald|date=15 November 2015 |access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref>

==Movie theaters==
[[File:Riyadh Front, 2023.jpg|thumb|[[VOX Cinemas]] movie theater (center) at [[Riyadh Front]] in 2023]]Cinemas first started to appear in [[Saudi Arabia]] during the 1930s, when employees of [[Saudi Aramco|Aramco]] (then called the [[Arab Americans|Arabian American]] Oil Company) installed screens in their residential compounds in [[Dhahran]]. In the early 1950s, ahwash (courtyard) cinemas emerged in several Saudi cities, which were screenings held in open spaces in residential areas. Each of these courtyard cinemas came to be known by the names of their owners.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Report on the State of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2019: Facts and Figures |url=https://docslib.org/doc/7036254/report-on-the-state-of-culture-in-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-2019-facts-and-figures#:~:text=Report%20on%20the%20State%20of%20Culture%20in%20the%20Kingdom%20of |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Docslib |language=en}}</ref> In the 1970s, a number of Saudi athletic clubs contained movies, and they were not considered [[Haram|un-Islamic]], though they were seen as contrary to [[Arab culture|Arab cultural norms]]. In the 1980s, there were some improvised movie halls in Saudi Arabia, most of which were in [[Jeddah]] and [[Mecca]], where [[Cinema of Egypt|Egyptian]], [[Indian film|Indian]], and [[Turkish film]]s were screened without government intervention. All theaters were closed due to the growing objections of religious conservatives during the Islamic revival movement in the 1980s. As a political response to an increase in Islamist activism, including the 1979 [[Grand Mosque Seizure|seizure of the Grand Mosque]] in Mecca, the government closed all cinemas and theaters.<ref name="memrimar11">{{cite web|last=Admon|first=Y.|title=Revival of Cinema Sparks Debate in Saudi Arabia|url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4027.htm| publisher= [[Middle East Media Research Institute]] |access-date=27 May 2012|format=Inquiry and Analysis Series Report No.595|date=11 March 2010}}</ref>

During the cinema ban, the only public theater in Saudi Arabia was a single [[IMAX]] cinema located in [[Khobar]] at the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Science and Technology Center.<ref name=Imax>{{cite web|title=IMAX 'to double' number of Middle East cinemas|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/special-reports/abu-dhabi-media-summit-2014/2014/11/19/IMAX-to-double-number-of-Middle-East-cinemas.html|website=alarabiya.net|date=19 November 2014 |access-date=4 February 2016}}</ref> The IMAX cinema, in operation since 2005,<ref name="Variety2">{{cite web|last1=Vivarelli|first1=Nick|title=IMAX Partners With Vox Cinemas on Screens in Saudi Arabia|url=http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/imax-saudi-arabia-vox-cinemas-screens-1202810945/|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|access-date=16 May 2018|date=15 May 2018}}</ref> shows only educational films. The documentaries are mostly productions from the [[United States]] shown in Arabic, with English audio headphones available.

In November 2005, a 1,400-seat cinema opened at a hotel in [[Riyadh]] for a limited run. The cinema was open for women and children only and showed foreign cartoons dubbed in Arabic.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saudi Arabia to allow cinemas|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2005/10/200849144317477213.html|website=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network]]|access-date=20 April 2018|date=15 October 2005}}</ref> Following the public screenings, the cinema ban was put into question as the demand for movie theaters in Saudi Arabia increased.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saudis put cinema ban in the frame|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2006/02/200849153957185467.html|website=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network]]|access-date=20 April 2018|date=23 February 2006}}</ref>

On 11 December 2017, the Saudi Arabian [[Ministry of Culture and Information (Saudi Arabia)|Minister of Culture and Information]] announced that public movie theaters would be allowed by 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42308121|title=Saudi Arabia to allow cinemas from 2018|work=BBC News |date=11 December 2017|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref> The government hopes that by 2030, Saudi Arabia will already have more than 300 theaters with over 2,000 movie screens.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-film/saudi-arabia-says-cinemas-will-be-allowed-from-early-2018-idUSKBN1E50N1|title=Saudi Arabia says cinemas will be allowed from early 2018|date=11 December 2017|access-date=11 December 2017|newspaper=Reuters}}</ref> The first public film screening was ''[[Black Panther (film)|Black Panther]]'' beginning on 18 April 2018 for five days in a 620-seat cinema owned by [[AMC Theatres]] in Riyadh's [[King Abdullah Financial District]] which was originally intended to be a symphony hall. ''[[Avengers: Infinity War]]'' began screening in the kingdom on 26 April.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-break-saudi-arabias-35-year-cinema-ban-1100018|title='Black Panther' to Break Saudi Arabia's 35-Year Cinema Ban|last=Ritman|first=Alex|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=5 April 2018|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405214824/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-break-saudi-arabias-35-year-cinema-ban-1100018|archive-date=5 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2018, it was announced that IMAX had signed a deal with [[VOX Cinemas]] to open at least four IMAX venues following the lifting of the cinema ban. At the time, it was also announced that VOX Cinemas intends to open 600 screens throughout Saudi Arabia over the next five years.<ref name="Variety2" />

==Films==

=== Film production ===
The first Saudi film ever produced was in 1950, starring Hassan Al-Ghanim, who is widely considered to be the first Saudi movie actor. “Al-Thubab” was produced in coordination with a Hollywood production team and filmed in the city of [[Qatif]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Report on the State of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2019: Facts and Figures |url=https://docslib.org/doc/7036254/report-on-the-state-of-culture-in-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-2019-facts-and-figures#:~:text=Report%20on%20the%20State%20of%20Culture%20in%20the%20Kingdom%20of |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Docslib |language=en}}</ref>

In the mid-1960s, a few films were produced for TV by Saudi Television. However, the true beginning of Saudi cinematic production wasn’t until 1966, when director Saad Al Furaih created "Remorse", tarring Saudi actor Hassan Dardir.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-21 |title=History of Cinema in Saudi Arabia: rise, fall and rebirth |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1212356/history-cinema-saudi-arabia-rise-fall-and-rebirth |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>

Over a decade later, in 1975, Saudi director Abdullah Al-Muhaisen created a film about the development of the city of [[Riyadh]], and the film was shown at [[Cairo International Film Festival|the Cairo International Film Festival]] the following year. In 1977, Al-Muhaisen would go on to direct a critically acclaimed film called “Death of a City,” which was a dramatization of the Lebanese Civil War that depicted the devastating damage the conflict had on the beautiful city of [[Beirut]].<ref>{{Citation |last=CHÁVEZ |first=HUGO LARA |title=The Cinematic City |date=2009-05-14 |work=Mexico City through History and Culture |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5871/bacad/9780197264461.003.0007 |access-date=2024-09-30 |publisher=British Academy |isbn=978-0-19-726446-1}}</ref>

''[[Keif al-Hal?]]'' triggered a debate on the country's stance on cinemas and films. The documentary [[short film]] directed by [[Abdullah Al-Eyaf]] called ''[[Cinema 500&nbsp;km]]'' discussed the issue of banning movie theaters and the film prompted the media to take up the issue and discuss it. ''[[Wadjda]]'' was selected as the Saudi Arabian entry for the [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] at the [[86th Academy Awards]] - the first time the country made a submission for the Oscars<ref name="HWR">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-saudi-arabia-nominates-wadjda-628944 |title=Oscars: Saudi Arabia Nominates 'Wadjda' for Foreign Language Category |access-date=14 September 2013 |work=Hollywood Reporter|date=13 September 2013 }}</ref> - but it was not nominated.<ref name="Variety">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/oscars-wadja-saudi-arabia-1200610523/ |title=Oscars: Saudi Arabia Taps 'Wadjda' As First Foreign-Language Entry |access-date=14 September 2013 |work=Variety|date=13 September 2013 }}</ref><ref name="LATimes">{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/moviesnow/la-et-mn-wadjda-saudi-oscar-foreign-language20130913,0,3985220.story |title='Wadjda' is Saudi Arabia's first nominee for foreign-language Oscar |access-date=14 September 2013 |newspaper=LA Times|date=13 September 2013 }}</ref><ref name="GulfNews">{{cite web |url=http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/saudi-arabia-submits-first-film-for-oscars-with-wadjda-1.1230829 |title=Saudi Arabia submits first film for Oscars with 'Wadjda' |access-date=14 September 2013 |work=Gulf News}}</ref> It earned a nomination for [[BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Film|Best Foreign Film]] at the [[67th British Academy Film Awards|2014 BAFTA Awards]].

''[[Barakah Yoqabil Barakah]]'' was the first feature film from Saudi Arabia to participate in the ''[[Berlin International Film Festival]]''; it won a jury award at the festival.

==Video rental stores==
[[Video rental shop|Video rental store]]s started appearing in the 1980s and offered Arabic, Western, and Asian movies. By the late 1990s, the increasing number of free-to-air satellite TV channels led most video stores to close.

==Saudi films==
A small but growing number of films have been produced in Saudi Arabia with a Saudi cast. Notable Saudi films include:

* ''Dhilal al Sammt'' (''Shadow of Silence''; 2006)
* ''[[Cinema 500 km]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Keif al-Hal?]]'' (2006)
* ''Women without Shadows'' (''Nisaa Bil Thil''; 2006)
* ''I Don' Wanna'' (2008)
* ''Shadow'' (2008)
* ''Three Men and a Woman'' (2008)
* ''According to Local Time'' (2008)
* ''Sunrise/Sunset'' (2008)
* ''[[Last Day (film)|Last Day]]'' (2008)
* ''Project'' (2008)
* ''[[Wadjda]]'' (2012)
* ''Barakah Meets Barakah'' (2016)
* ''Roallem'' (2019)
*''[[The Perfect Candidate]] (2019)''
* ''[[Shams Al-Ma'arif (film)|Shams Al-Ma'arif]]'' (2020)
*''[[Masameer: The Movie]] (2020)''
*[[Within Sand]] (2024)
* ''The Morning of Night (2008)''
* ''Downtown Mission (2008)''
* ''[[Menahi|Mennahi]] (2009)''
* ''Hidden Evil (2009)''
* ''Forgotten Village (2009)''
* ''My Struggle (2014)''
* ''Amra and the Second Marriage (2018)''
* ''Zero Distance (2019)''
* ''Farkash (2019)''
* ''Last Visit (2019)''
* ''Scales (2019)''
* ''Dunya's Day (2019)''
* ''[[Born a King]] (2019)''
* ''Lost Memory (2019)''
* ''Swan Song (2019)''
* ''Arabian Alien (2019)''
* ''The Last Days of the Circus (2019)''
* ''[[The Tambour of Retribution]] (2020)''
* ''Before We Forget (2021)''
* ''Rupture (2021)''
* ''Arbaoon Aman wa Laylah (2021)''
* ''Walad Marzouq (2021)''
* ''Becoming (2021)''
* ''Route 10 (2022)''
* ''Raven Song (2022)''
* ''Sattar (2022)''
* ''[[Within Sand]] (2022)''
* ''Alkhallat+ (2023)''
* ''Valley Road (2023)''
* ''Alhamour H.A. (2023)''
* ''That Abandoned Place (2023)''
* ''The Woodman (2023)''
* ''The Last Postmen (2023)''
* ''Slave (2023)''
* ''Mandoob (2023)''
* ''NAGA (2023)''
* ''Hajjan (2023)''
* ''[[Norah (film)|Norah]]'' ''(2023)''

==Films shot in Saudi Arabia==
* ''Le Schiave Esistono Ancora'' (Italian; 1964)
*''Exile Family Movie'' (Austrian; 2006)
* ''[[Le Grand Voyage]]'' (French; 2004) - partly filmed in [[Mecca]]
* ''[[Malcolm X (1992 film)|Malcolm X]]'' (American; 1992) - the first non-documentary to be given permission to film in Mecca
* ''[[Wadjda]]'' (Saudi-German; 2012)
* ''[[Barakah Yoqabil Barakah|Barakah Meets Barakah]]'' (Saudi; 2016)
* ''[[A Hologram for the King (film)|A Hologram for the King]]'' (English; 2016)
*''[[The Perfect Candidate]]'' (Saudi; 2019)
*[[Dunki (film)]] ( Hindi; 2023)
* ''[[Desert Warrior (upcoming film)|Desert Warrior]] (British; 2020) filmed in [[Neom|NEOM]] in [[Tabuk, Saudi Arabia|Tabuk]] city''
* ''Cherry (American; 2021) - Scenes were shot in [[Al-Ula|AlUla]] and [[Riyadh]]''
* ''[[Kandahar (2023 film)|Kandahar]] (American; 2023) filmed in [[Al-Ula|AlUla]]''

== International presence ==

=== Saudi Film Days in Los Angeles ===
As part of the “Saudi Film Days” initiative, launched by [[King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture]] – Ithra in 2016, the center sponsored the production of 10 winning films (nine short films and one short narrative). 7 of the 10 films (6 narrative and one documentary) were nominated to participate in a major film festival hosted in [[Los Angeles]], [[United States|USA]].

The festival included screenings that were attended by notable critics, stars, and directors from the American film industry. Filmmakers were also able to visit some of the most renowned production houses in Hollywood, such as [[Warner Bros.|Warner Bros]] and [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount Studios]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Curiel |first=Jonathan |date=2017-12-26 |title=A New Era for Filmmaking in Saudi Arabia |url=https://jonathancuriel.com/new-era-filmmaking-saudi-arabia/#:~:text=The%20following%20night,%20Saudi%20Film%20Days%20screened%20again%20a%20few |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Jonathan Curiel |language=en-US}}</ref>

The films that participated in the festival were: "Tongue" directed by Mohamed Al-Salman, "Zaina's Cake" by director Nada Al-Mojadedi, "The Other" by director Tawfik Al-Zaidi, "Basta" by director Hind Al-Fahhad, "Bilal: A New Breed of Hero" produced by Ayman Jamal, "Atoor" by director Hussain Al-Mutlaq, "Epouvantail" by director Mohammed Al-Salman, "Is Sumiyati Going to Hell?" by director Meshal Al-Jaser, "Wasati" by director Ali Al-Kalthami, "The Darkness Is A Color" by director Mujtaba Saeed, and "300 KM" by director Mohammed Al-Holayyil, in addition to "Al-Qatt" by director Faisal Al-Otaibi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Content |first=Partner |date=2022-12-16 |title=Ithra-Produced ‘Valley Road’ Makes Debut at Red Sea Film Festival |url=https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/ithra-produced-valley-road-makes-debut-red-sea-film-festival-1235454560/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Saudi Films on Netflix ===
In 2020, the world’s leading entertainment streaming platform, [[Netflix]], acquired exclusive rights to 6 Saudi short films produced by Telfaz 11 Studios. The short films were released under the title “Six Windows in the Desert” and included: "Is Sumiyati Going to Hell? " "The Rat," "Curtain," "Wasati," "Predicament in Sight," and "27th of Shaban."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netflix buys rights to six Saudi films tackling social issues |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1626771/media. |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref> Subsequently, further films were released to the platform, including titles such as: “The Tambour of Retribution," "Alkhallat+," "Zero Distance," "[[Shams Al-Ma'arif (film)|Shams Al-Ma'arif]]," "[[Barakah Meets Barakah]]," "Takki," "Route 10" and "Roll'em." Shortly after, 11 more Saudi films were added to Netflix under the title “New Saudi Voices. These films included: "Hallucinated," "Little Bird," "Red Circle," "Covida the 19th," "Alrufea," "The Day I Lost Myself," "Acceptance Land," "Hide and Seek," "Whisper Down the Lane," "The Palm Witch," and "The Jakar."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netflix launches ‘New Saudi Voices’ collection to celebrate Saudi filmmakers |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2171416/media. |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>

=== Recent Screenings at the Toronto Film Festival ===
Recently, the films "NAGA" by director [[Meshal Aljaser|Meshal Al-Jaser]], "Hajjan" by Abu Bakr Shawqi, and "Mandoob" by Ali Al-Kalthami were screened at the 2023 [[Toronto International Film Festival|Toronto Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi cinema shines at Toronto International Film Festival with three participating films |url=https://en.majalla.com/node/299741/culture-social-affairs/saudi-cinema-shines-toronto-international-film-festival-three |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=en.majalla.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Saudi films in Arab and international festivals and awards ==

* Saudi films and filmmakers have won numerous awards in both Arab and international film festivals. The first Saudi film to win an international award was "Death of a City," directed by Saudi filmmaker Abdullah Al-Muhaisen. The film received the Nefertiti Prize for Best Short Film in 1977<ref>{{Cite web |title=The rise, fall and rebirth of Saudi cinema |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1207671/saudi-arabia. |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref> and was screened at the [[Cairo International Film Festival|Cairo Film Festival]] the same year.
* The Saudi film "Sanctity," received international recognition, winning the Golden Aleph at the 2013 [[Arab film festivals|Beirut International Film Festival]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013: 13th Edition Awards |url=https://www.beirutfilmfestival.org/2013-13th-edition-awards/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Beirut International Film Festival |language=en-US}}</ref> and becoming the first Saudi film to participate in the prestigious Berlin     International Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-06 |title=Saudi filmmaker Ahd Kamel’s ‘Sanctity’ to be part of Netflix’s ‘Because She Created’ collection |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2117641/lifestyle |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>
* In October 2013, the Saudi film "Wadjda" made history as the first Saudi film ever nominated for the [[Academy Awards|Oscars]] for Best Foreign Film.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brooks |first=Xan |date=2013-09-16 |title=Wadjda, Saudi Arabia's first female film, is country's Oscar entry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/16/wadjda-oscars-saudi-arabia |access-date=2024-09-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The film also received three honorary awards at the [[Venice Film Festival|Venice International Film Festival]], marking the first time a Saudi feature film received recognition at this renowned event. Additionally, it was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film award by the British Academy of Film and Television     Arts ([[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]]).
* In 2017, the Saudi film "Wasati" won two awards at the Williamsburg International Film Festival in [[New York City|New York]]: Best Foreign Film and Best Director for Ali Al-Kalthami.<ref name="arabnews.com">{{Cite web |title=Netflix screening ‘big boost’ to Saudi filmmakers |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1633671/saudi-arabia. |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>
* The short Saudi film "Is Sumiyati Going to Hell?" directed by Meshal Al-Jaser and produced by Ithra, won the     Best Foreign Film award at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival<ref name="arabnews.com"/> and was screened at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in 2018, along with eight other Saudi films.
* In 2019, "Last Visit" won the Jury Prize at the 18th edition of the [[Marrakech International Film Festival|Marrakech Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-08 |title=Saudi film ‘Last Visit’ wins big at Marrakech Film Festival |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1595856/lifestyle |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>
* The 2019 short film "Zero Distance," directed by Abdul Aziz Al-Shalahi, won the Golden Palm award at the     Alexandria Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dhahran’s King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture receives 1 million visitors |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1573911/spa/aggregate |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref>
* In December 2020, "[[The Tambour of Retribution]]" won two awards at the [[Cairo International Film Festival]]:     the Salah Abu Seif Jury Award and Best Actor for Faisal Al-Dokhei.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi wins best actor award at Cairo International Film Festival |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1776006/art-culture. |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref> In April 2021, director Abdul Aziz Al-Shalahi won the Best Director award for" The Tambour of Retribution" at the [[Malmö Arab Film Festival]] in     [[Sweden]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia nominates ‘The Tambour of Retribution’ to represent the Kingdom at the Oscars |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1973306/saudi-arabia. |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref> The [[Saudi Film Commission]] announced in November 2021 that "The Tambour of Retribution" was selected to represent [[Saudi Arabia]] at the Oscars for Best International Feature Film.

==Saudi directors==
* Abdullah Al-Muhaisen
* Abdulelah Alqurashi
* Mohammad Makki
* [[Abdullah Al-Eyaf]]
* [[Haifaa al-Mansour]]
* Yousef Linjawi
* Mohammad Aldhahri
* Mohammad Al Khalif
* Abdulmuhsin Almutairi
* Hussam Alhulwah
* Mohammed Alhamoud
* Abdulmohsen Al-Dhabaan
* Nawaf Almuhanna
* Mohammed Salman
* Mohammed Albash
* Mosa Althounian
* Mohana Abdullah
* [[Mahmoud Sabbagh]]
* [[Gigi Hozimah]]
* Abdulmuhsen Alquseer
* [[Sameera Aziz]]
* [[Shahad Ameen]]
* Abdulaziz Alnajim
* Ali Alameer
* Radwan Khaled
* Sameer Arif
* Talal Ayeel
* Fahad Alesta
* Mujtaba Saeed
* Mohammed Alsalman
* Ali Alkalthami
* [[Meshal Aljaser]]
* Mohammed Alholayyil
* Suhaib Qudus
* Faris Qudus
* Ali Alsumayin
* [[Shahad Ameen]]
* Hana Alomair
* Diya Yousef
* Raed Alsemari
* Faisal Alamer
* Ali Saeed
* Mahmoud Alhamoud

==Saudi actors==
* [[Hisham Fageeh]]
* [[Ahd Kamel]]
* Fatima Al-Banawi
* [[Hind Mohammed]]
* [[Hisham Abdulrahman]]
* Abdullah Al-Sadhan
* [[Nasir Al-Gasabi]]
* Habib Al-Habib
* Yusof Al-Jarrah
* Mohammed Baksh
* Mushari Hilal
* [[Reem Abdullah]]
* Ahmed Khalil
* Mariam Al-Ghamdi
* [[Fayez Al-Malki]]
* Hassan Assiri
* [[Rashid Al Shamrani|Rashid Al-Shamrani]]
* [[Saad Khader|Saad Khadr]]
* Bashir Ghoneim
* Baraa Alem
* [[Ibrahim Al-Hsawi]]
* Ismail Hassan
* Mila Al-Zahrani
* Khairia Abu Laban
* Ibrahim Alkhairallah
* Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj
* Khaled Saqer
* Elham Ali
* Suhaib Qudus
* Faisal Al-Dokhei
* Mohammed AlShehri
* [[Fahad Albutairi]]
* Saleh Abuamrh
* Saad Abdulaziz
* Asayel Mohammed

== See also ==
{{Portal|Saudi Arabia|Film}}
* [[Censorship in Saudi Arabia]]
* [[Cinema of the world]]
* [[Culture of Saudi Arabia]]
* [[Cinema of Egypt|Egyptian cinema]]
* [[Arab cinema]]
* [[Cinema of the Middle East]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{World cinema}}
{{Arab Cinema}}
{{Asia in topic|Cinema of}}
{{Saudi Arabia topics}}

[[Category:Cinema of Saudi Arabia| ]]