Saudi film forum raises curtain on new-look cinema

Saudi entrepreneurs will be shown the latest advances in global cinema design and construction at a major forum in Riyadh next month.
The Cinema Build KSA forum on April 14-15 at the Four Seasons hotel in Riyadh comes as the world eyes Saudi Arabia’s efforts to unlock the massive potential of its cinema market as part of wide-ranging Vision 2030 economic reforms.     
The Kingdom is set to have almost 350 cinemas with more than 2,500 screens creating more than 30,000 jobs.
The cinema forum, organized by  Eyes of Cities in collaboration with  Great Minds Event Management, will bring together key stakeholders across the design, construction and technology sectors to discuss the latest techniques of building world-class cinemas.
The event will  also highlight new building solutions and equipment used in developing future cinemas, multiplexes and malls.    
General Commission of Audiovisual Media (GCAM) CEO Bader Al-Zahrani said: “The cinema sector in Saudi Arabia will see significant growth, especially with the commission’s efforts to promote national and foreign investment in the sector.”
GCAM is working toward achieving Quality of Life Program’s goal by opening 45 cinemas by 2020, said Al-Zahrani, who will inaugurate the Cinema Build KSA forum and deliver the opening speech.
Cinema Build KSA will gather experts from around the world to be a part of Saudi plans to open more than 2,500 screens in the next five years.
With licenses being issued to the first set of exhibitors, authorities are setting up a road map to achieve their goal of becoming leaders in developing world-class cinemas.     
Commenting on Cinema Build KSA, Leila Masinaei, managing partner at Great Minds Group, said: “The cinema industry in the MENA region is undergoing a massive expansion. The lifting of the 35-year cinema ban in KSA, rapid population growth and urbanization, and the regional focus on economic diversification and new strategies that focus on the leisure and entertainment sectors are among key factors for this growth.”