Featured Image: Saudi Arabia Film Commission
Saudi Arabia is going to reduce ticket prices and licence fees for cinemas as the Kingdom hopes to revitalise the industry.
The decision, approved by the country’s Film Commission, aims to stimulate growth, increase audience engagement, and position Saudi Arabia as a regional hub for filmmaking.
The news follows the General Authority for Media Regulation announcement that it has sold more than 61m cinema tickets since April 2018 and generated SAR3.7bn (£793m/$986/€922m) as a result.
The commission has streamlined the licensing process and reduced fees for various cinema operations at permanent and temporary levels.
The cost of the most expensive permanent cinema license has been heavily reduced to around SAR25,000 from its previous price of SAR210,000.
Applicants can now obtain licenses to operate a studio, produce visual and audio content, and distribute or import cinematographic films more easily.
Cinema operators are also being encouraged to offer further discounts and promotions to attract customers.
This is expected to increase the number of cinemas, make Saudi Arabian films more easily accessible, and encourage more people to attend screenings.
“At the commission, we are working to stimulate the film industry by encouraging private sector companies operating cinemas in the Kingdom to provide discounts and promotional offers to cinema viewership, with the aim of enhancing the film culture in the Kingdom,” said Film Commission chief executive Abdullah Al-Qahtani, as reported by Arabian Business.
“We also work intensively to enhance the presence of Saudi films by stimulating the showing of Saudi films in various cinemas.”
The Film Commission is responsible for the development and promotion of Saudi Arabia’s film sector. Its strategic objectives include developing infrastructure and regulatory framework, encouraging finance and investment, ensuring the sector’s access to local talent, stimulating local production, and attracting global filmmakers.
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