CANNES: Saudi Arabia’s General Culture Authority and the IMAX Corporation announced Saturday morning at the Saudi pavilion at the 71st Cannes Film Festival their plans to develop IMAX-format films to be produced within Saudi Arabia. IMAX, which works both in film production and theaters, also told Arab News that it intends to build 20 to 30 IMAX theaters in Saudi Arabia in the coming years.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond stated that it plans to help develop both narrative documentaries as well as international blockbuster co-productions within the Kingdom, with the intention of developing the infrastructure of film in Saudi Arabia as well as to tell the country's story both to the Saudi people and the world.
“I think we’ll probably start with a documentary project, but one of the great things about IMAX is that it takes people where they could never go, whether it’s the bottom of the ocean, whether it’s outer space, that’s what IMAX does at its best. I think we’ll try to find a project involving Saudi Arabia where we can show people in Saudi Arabia educationally how beautiful their own country is and what they can learn about it, as well as export it to other IMAX theaters to share it with the rest of the world,” Gelfond said.
Ahmad Al-Maziad, CEO of the General Culture Authority, told Arab News that the intention is to have IMAX utilized across the board, from major features to documentaries to international productions filming within Saudi Arabia.
“IMAX is a brand, and it’s a brand of quality. It’s a testament to what we need and want to do at GCA. I think we want to go for something that’s higher-end quality. We want to tell our own stories. What better to use the best quality and the best screens to develop a script, which might look like a documentary, but at the end of the day it’s a story. You take a historical journey through the landscape of Saudi, telling an amazing story from a couple thousand years ago. With that you’re creating a scripted documentary that showcases both the storytelling as well as the landscape that we have in Saudi Arabia,” said Al-Maziad.
IMAX intends to hire as much Saudi talent as possible on its projects within Saudi, as its intention is to work with the General Culture Authority to develop the landscape from the bottom up. At the festival on Friday, the GCA announced plans to offer a rebate of at least 35 per cent for foreign productions filmed within the country and 50 per cent of all money spent hiring Saudi talent.
“I think we have to decide on the first project and see what the scope is, but the idea would be to use Saudi talent in large part. It’s not just about watching one movie or three movies, it’s how do you develop the industry. We’ve been in business for 50 years and we’ve done that in other places, most notably in China. We really felt a stake there in developing the film infrastructure in the country, and we feel a similar stake to doing the same thing Saudi,” said Gelfond.
IMAX opened its first IMAX screen through Vox Cinemas in Riyadh, beginning with the release of Marvel’s "Avengers: Infinity War," which has sold out every showing, according to Gelfond. The plan is to develop more theaters throughout Saudi Arabia both with Majid Al Futtaim’s Vox Cinemas as well as AMC Cinemas, which are also planning to open throughout Saudi Arabia.
“AMC is our largest partner in the world, and we’re in discussions what AMC about a number of locations throughout Saudi Arabia. I’m going there next week, Wednesday and Thursday, for other discussions. We just want to do the best entertainment possible, world class, at the best locations possible. That will develop over time,” said Gelfond.
Gelfond said it is not decided how many of the planned 20 to 30 theaters will be Vox, and how many will be AMC, as it is currently in discussions with both parties now.
“I think it’s a very exciting opportunity. IMAX in the Middle East, we have 22 theaters open today, and some are incredible like at the Mall of the Emirates, and some are in more developing places like Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon. People, when they think of IMAX, they think of it as the busiest city and the biggest corner, but the goal is to bring the best cinema experience not only to rich people in big cities, but to a variety of people throughout the country. We’ve done that in the region, and I look forward to doing things in Saudi Arabia.”
IMAX announces plans to produce films in Saudi Arabia
IMAX announces plans to produce films in Saudi Arabia
- IMAX intends to build 20 to 30 IMAX theaters in Saudi Arabia in the coming years.
- CEO Richard Gelfond stated that it plans to help develop both narrative documentaries as well as international blockbuster co-productions within the Kingdom.
3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh
- More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference
RIYADH: The third edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity opened in Riyadh on Sunday, bringing together a select group of experts and talented individuals in science, technology, and innovation.
More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference, which was inaugurated by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, governor of Riyadh region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as "Mawhiba," the conference is being held at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) until Tuesday.
Themed "Beyond Creative Minds," the conference aims to showcase the potential of the gifted, develop a comprehensive care system to support them, bolster integration and strategic partnerships, and enhance opportunities for global exchange and cooperation.
An exhibition and various cultural visits are being held on the conference sidelines, the SPA report said.
According to the Mawhiba site, the conference reflects the success achieved in the two previous editions, and "provides an opportunity for partners to contribute to sponsoring the journey of talented people from different countries of the world."
Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields
- Saudi minister, EU security and political officials discuss reinforcing existing work on coping with climate change
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with European officials on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jubeir, who is also the Saudi climate envoy, held talks with Delphine Pronk, chair of the EU Political and Security Committee, and Luigi Di Maio, EU special representative for the Gulf region.
They discussed issues surrounding climate change and environmental cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the EU, as well as ways in which existing cooperation on tackling climate change could be strengthened. They also talked about the recent development in foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia maintains a strong dialogue with the EU, with both parties sharing views on several foreign policy issues, including the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative for the Middle East.
The EU and Saudi Arabia are also linked through trade relations, with the EU becoming the Kingdom’s second main trading partner after the volume of trade exchange between Riyadh and Brussels peaked at $80 billion in 2023.
Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting
RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.
During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.
Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister
- Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance
RIYADH: CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad received First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Hokim Kholiqzoda and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Sunday.
During the meeting, the Saudi fund’s development projects were discussed, as well as ways to enhance development cooperation between both sides, the official account wrote on X.
Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance.
Kholiqzoda’s visit included a tour of the Saudi fund’s exhibition center, which showcases the organization’s 50-year journey, including notable development projects and their impacts on the lives of beneficiaries.
World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh
- Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field
RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday.
The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins.
Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.
“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said.
Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world.
He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.
In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.
“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said.
This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families.
Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases.
“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.
A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.
As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.
The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science.
“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.
With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah.
He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain.
Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.”
He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”
The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”
He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.
Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management.
Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.
She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.
Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.”
Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.
Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins.
“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”
The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation.
For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally.
