A handout image released by the Saudi General Administration of Culture on April 26, 2018 shows the National Arab Music Orchestra (AME) performing at the Cairo Opera House at the King Fahd Cultural Centre in Riyadh.
The Kingdom quickly consolidated its position as a centre for cultural events, art exhibitions and film screenings.
Vision 2030 envisages and supports the expansion of the entertainment market to 30 billion rials.
DUBAI: Until five years ago, most forms of mass entertainment were opposed in Saudi Arabia. There is no music in public concerts, no cinemas that use cinema magic to awed audiences, and gender segregation is the norm in public places.
Fast forward to today: Saudi Arabia has gone from being a near-zero entertainment venue to a hub for cultural events, art exhibitions and film screenings in the Middle East.
All of this is the result of Vision 2030, a reform program launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016 to bring about the social and economic transformation of the Kingdom. The strategy aims to increase spending by Saudi families on cultural and recreational activities in the Kingdom to 6%.
During this period, the Saudi entertainment industry experienced explosive growth. Almost every city has cinemas where men and women can gather and socialize freely.
Saudi fans participated in the electronic music festival "MDL Beast Fest" held in Banban, a suburb of Riyadh, the Capital of Saudi Arabia
Big concerts like MDL Beast host hundreds of thousands of people. International film festivals and contemporary art exhibitions are regularly held, and celebrities and performers are regular visitors to Saudi Arabia.
Kaswara Alkhatib, chief media officer at the Saudi National Event Center, told Arab News: "We want the Saudis to enjoy their country, we want to entertain them and make them like the rest of the world." ”
"Saudis no longer need to travel for fun, foreigners can come to Saudi Arabia for entertainment. In today's world, you can't be a closed country without entertainment and let your people travel outside, which is the biggest factor affecting the change in the mentality of Saudis. ”
The entertainment industry is one of several forces driving social and economic change in Saudi Arabia towards the world. Vision 2030 envisages and supports the expansion of the entertainment market to 30 billion rials ($8 billion).
A handout image released by the Saudi General Administration of Culture on April 26, 2018 shows the National Arab Music Orchestra (AME) performing at the Cairo Opera House at the King Fahd Cultural Centre in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia is one of the most populous countries in the Middle East, with about half of its residents under the age of 30, and the demand for entertainment is huge and growing. By 2030, hundreds of new cinemas, theme park projects, casinos and family entertainment centers will be built.
According to a 2021 study by U.S.-based Research and Markets, Saudi Arabia's entertainment market is expected to grow from its current size ($23.77 million in 2020) to $1.17 billion by the end of 2030, with an annual growth rate of 47.65%.
"The Saudi entertainment industry went from zero to hero in a few years," Alkhatib said. "There was no entertainment in Saudi Arabia before the Four Seasons. Former entertainment meant going to the mall or having dinner or partying with family and friends. Previously, there were few places for family or friends to go, and there were few opportunities for celebrations or concerts.
"There are no cinemas, plays or international concerts. Saudis used to attend concerts outside of Saudi Arabia and performed by some of the country's most popular singers, such as Mohammed Abdu. The concert was not held in Saudi Arabia; They were done outside Saudi Arabia. ”
Now, Saudis go out in droves to watch music. Men, women and children attend these events and enjoy concerts not only with local performers, but also by artists from abroad.
Saudi women gathered at the cinema after it opened to the public on April 30, 2018, at the Riyadh Park Mall.
"Today we are proud to host these concerts in the country. Not only for Saudi performers, but also because we have managed to attract many international performers and celebrities from the region and the West," Alkhatib said. "It's definitely one of the big shifts."
Saudi Seasons is an initiative launched by the Saudi Tourism and National Heritage Commission in 2019 to plan and host festivals in various regions to reveal Saudi culture and heritage and bring entertainment to more Saudis.
The first Saudi season organized 11 festivals throughout the kingdom, and the practice continues. Riyadh, Jeddah, Eastern Province, Taif, Al-Soudah, National Day, Diriyah, AlUla, Hail, Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr all have seasons.
The initiative is led by several Saudi authorities, including the Ministry of Culture, the General Directorate of Entertainment, the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Bureau of Conventions and Exhibitions, led by a committee headed by the Crown Prince.
The main goals of Saudi Arabia's Four Seasons are to increase tourism spending in Saudi Arabia, provide more employment opportunities, promote business activities and tourism in Saudi Arabia, and improve the quality of life.
* 50% of residents are under the age of 30.
* In line with Vision 2030, the Kingdom's household spending target for recreational and cultural activities is 6%.
* 80% of the current home entertainment budget is spent abroad.
* The estimated size of the entertainment market of 30 billion riyals under Vision 2030.
It has also created huge employment opportunities for Saudi youth. The 2019 Jeddah season alone created 5,000 jobs for young men and women.
The Saudi film industry has expanded with the rapid development of the kingdom's entertainment industry. Over the past few years, young filmmakers have returned to the country after years of working abroad to reap the benefits of the Kingdom's investment in the entertainment sector.
In February 2020, the Ministry of Culture established the Film Council, a government agency dedicated to "developing and organizing the film industry, improving its production, marketing Saudi films, encouraging finance and investment, and developing content." The committee also supports young creative talent, formulates laws and regulations, and represents the Kingdom in film-related regional and international forums. ”
Other institutions that support Saudi cinema include Film AlUla and the Misk Foundation, established by the Crown Prince, which aims to empower Saudi youth and support Saudi Arabia's social transformation. Misk runs a screenwriting program, as well as other programs to help filmmakers.
Te Arabia is one of the most populous countries in the Middle East, with about half of its residents under the age of 30, and the demand for entertainment is huge and growing.
aad Abutaily, a 29-year-old national who works for Riyadh-based Nebras Films, was born and raised in London, where he spent most of his life until his return to the kingdom in 2019.
Abutaily stressed how much money can help Saudi filmmakers. "Now everything is back to life," he told Arab News.
In Nebras, Abteli said, he often witnesses recent graduates getting help from the government to make their films and advance their careers.
In May, Saudi Arabia announced that its expanded Telfaz 11 studios had reached an agreement with France's Easy Riders Films to co-produce four Saudi films. Abtelli said Nebras is currently working on another film independently.
Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton took part in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, one of many sporting events hosted by Saudi Arabia as part of its Vision 2030 plan.
Last November, Saudi authorities announced a total of $64 billion in investments in the emerging entertainment industry as part of a broader effort to wean the economy off oil dependence and, in due course, become a major film destination in the region.
"In 2019, things start to change. In 2021/2022, this country is completely different," Abteli said in Riyadh, where he is located. "I'm enjoying my weekend here more now than I am in Cannes and London. There are a lot of things you can do here right now. There are artists, screenwriters, filmmakers and filmmakers. The list continues.
"That's what brings us back to Saudi Health." We are finally being embraced by our government and security services, with more changes and new announcements every few months. ”
Abteri said it was a good time to come to Saudi Arabia, not only for Saudis, but also for foreigners. "Music producers are now making music in Saudi Arabia. Artists, filmmakers and many others have now returned to the country from the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. When they realized how many new opportunities there were, they came back.
"COVID-19 has slowed us down, but now things are back on track and in full swing. This culture has always existed in Saudi Arabia, but it is very limited. Only restaurants, malls and cafes. Now, I see Saudis coming back from abroad for big public rallies and performances here. ”
Saudi filmmakers also traveled more around the kingdom, visiting Abha, Al Horah, NEOM, Taif, Jeddah and the Eastern Provinces, taking inspiration from their own countries and filming films in various regions.
Abteri said it was a good time to come to Saudi Arabia, not only for Saudis, but also for foreigners. "Music producers are now making music in Saudi Arabia. Artists, filmmakers and many others have now returned to the country from the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. When they realized how many new opportunities there were, they came back.
"COVID-19 has slowed us down, but now things are back on track and in full swing. This culture has always existed in Saudi Arabia, but it is very limited. Only restaurants, malls and cafes. Now, I see Saudis coming back from abroad for big public rallies and performances here. ”
Saudi filmmakers also traveled more around the kingdom, visiting Abha, Al Horah, NEOM, Taif, Jeddah and the Eastern Provinces, taking inspiration from their own countries and filming films in various regions.
"The whole world is curious about the Saudi story," Mujtaba Saeed, a 35-year-old filmmaker who runs between Saudi Arabia and Germany, told Arab News.
"We have a lot of untold stories, and we want to share our human experience with the world. As filmmakers, we now have strong support from the Film Committee set up by the Ministry of Culture to tell our stories to the world. ”
His most recent short film, Zawar, showcased the epidemic from a refugee perspective, won the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Saudi Film Festival and most recently the Golden Sail at the Bahrain Gulf Television and Radio Festival.
"We are now living in a historic moment in Saudi Arabia," Said said. "We want to express ourselves, tell our stories, and show the world that we are similar and that our needs and goals are universal."
"The whole world is curious about the Saudi story," Mujtaba Saeed, a 35-year-old filmmaker who runs between Saudi Arabia and Germany, told Arab News.
"We have a lot of untold stories, and we want to share our human experience with the world. As filmmakers, we now have strong support from the Film Committee set up by the Ministry of Culture to tell our stories to the world. ”
His most recent short film, Zawar, showcased the epidemic from a refugee perspective, won the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Saudi Film Festival and most recently the Golden Sail at the Bahrain Gulf Television and Radio Festival.
"We are now living in a historic moment in Saudi Arabia," Said said. "We want to express ourselves, tell our stories, and show the world that we are similar and that our needs and goals are universal."