A magical first year at the movies as Saudi cinemas herald big screen revival

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John Travolta joins a discussion in Riyadh on the future of cinema in the Kingdom. (AFP)
Updated 20 April 2019
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A magical first year at the movies as Saudi cinemas herald big screen revival

  • Films are no longer ‘coming soon’ — there are now six cinemas in Riyadh and Jeddah, with many more on the way across the Kingdom

The seats have been filled, the popcorn bought and, for the past 12 months, the magic of the movies has been casting a spell over the Kingdom, where the buzz of the big screen had been a dim and distant memory. It has been a year since, as part of the country’s Vision 2030 program of reforms, Saudi Arabia lifted a 35-year ban on cinemas, paving the way for theater chains to unveil ambitious plans to open hundreds of cinemas, with thousands of screens, across the nation in the next decade. And moviegoers just cannot get enough of it, regularly packing out screenings at the first venues to open in Riyadh and Jeddah.

To mark the first anniversary, Arab News asked entertainment chiefs what they have learned from Saudi audiences since that historic first screening of Marvel’s “Black Panther” on April 18, 2018 at the AMC cinema in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District.

Superhero fantasies, comedies and action dramas have proved most popular with audiences, who have flocked to a mix of global box-office hits and regional films.

VOX Cinemas — Saudi Arabia’s biggest movie operator, with plans to invest SR2billion ($533 million) to open 600 screens by 2023 — said it released 114 films across the Kingdom in the past year. The biggest money spinner was Marvel superhero movie “Captain Marvel,” which broke through the billion-dollar global box-office barrier this month — followed by “Cold Pursuit,” an American black-comedy action film starring Liam Neeson, and “Aquaman,” another superhero movie, this time based on a DC Comics character

Rounding out the top 10 list was M. Night Shyamalan’s fantasy-drama sequel “Glass,” Egyptian comedy “Nadi Elregal Elsary,” horror thriller “Us,” science fiction thriller “Alita: Battle Angel,” US superhero film “Shazam!”, Egyptian comedy “El Badla” and Hollywood comedy-drama “The Upside,” according to Cameron Mitchell, CEO of Majid Al-Futtaim Cinemas, of which VOX Cinemas is a subsidiary. “El Badla” had the distinction of being the longest-running film in the country over the past 12 months.

VOX Cinemas was granted its license to operate in the Kingdom in April last year and opened its first multiplex in Riyadh Park in the same month. It has four screens, including an IMAX screen and VOX Kids, the first dedicated children’s theater in the Middle East.

“Since launching Saudi Arabia’s first multiplex in April 2018, the Majid Al-Futtaim group has been delighted by the response from our guests in the Kingdom,” said Mitchell. “In the 12 months since obtaining our license, Majid Al-Futtaim has built five locations with a total of 47 screens, and is planning to open at least another 70 screens this year, on track to reaching our goal of 600 screens in Saudi Arabia by 2023.”

VOX now has three additional locations in Riyadh: a luxury cinema in Kingdom Tower, which opened this week; Al-Qasr Mall; and The Roof in Alyasmin District. This year the chain also opened the first multiplex in Jeddah, at Red Sea Mall.

“Our Saudi Arabian team is proving to be talented and passionate, and is offering a service level and entertainment experience comparable with the highest international standards, with particularly our VOX Kids and IMAX experiences delighting guests in Riyadh and Jeddah,” said Mitchell.

“We are honored to be supporting the 2030 Vision of Saudi Arabia, which noted that ‘culture and entertainment are indispensable to our quality of life,’ and our teams will continue to work tirelessly to meet our vision of creating great moments for everyone every day.”

Films are proving so popular that cinemagoers are having to book well in advance, and Mitchell said 95 percent of the tickets so far sold for Riyadh Park — which screened 82 films in 2018 — were booked online.

“We see this trend continuing with all new openings, as guests want to ensure they are securing seats,” he added.

VOX now has 39 screens and plans to open a further 110 by the end of the year. These will include the first multiplexes in the Eastern Region and Tabuk.

Collectively, VOX and another leading operator in the region, Carnival Cinemas, plan to open nearly 1,000 screens across the Kingdom, according to experts at the Cinema Build KSA Forum in Riyadh this month, which was organized to explore opportunities in the emerging sector.

“Carnival envisions operating about 300-plus screens over the next five years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Sunil Puthan Veettil, the company’s managing director. “Our mission is to take a good-quality movie-watching experience close to the people in the country. For this, we have made a study of all the provinces and identified several locations, subject to approval. Our idea is to move to all these provinces to set up entertainment centers and to make Carnival synonymous with cinema across the country.”

During the forum, Saudi officials estimated that by 2030, the number of cinemas in operation could be as high as 350, with as many as 2,500 screens. 

Cinema operating licenses have also been awarded to: AMC Theaters, an American chain owned and operated by Wanda Group; the Al-Rashed Empire Cinema Consortium, which plans to build 30 theaters in the country over the next three years; and Lux Entertainment, in partnership with Cinepolis, the biggest cineplex chain in Mexico, Al-Hokair Group for Tourism and Development, a Saudi-based hospitality and entertainment group, and Al Tayer Group, one of the leading companies in the field of retail operation in the UAE and the wider GCC. 

Lux announced in October plans for 300 screens in 15 cities across Saudi Arabia by 2030.

Other operators, including Gulf-based Novo Cinemas, which has announced it is in talks to roll out in Saudi Arabia, have also registered an interest.

John Sullivan, director of The Light Cinemas, a British independent chain, said it recently joined forces with new cinema brand Muvi to launch the Kingdom’s “very first all-Saudi Arabian cinema group,” which plans to open 15 locations across the country, including in Riyadh and Dammam.

“I think it is crucial for property owners in particular to understand their responsibility for figuring out what the cinema will deliver to their assets, and how to deliver that, rather than abdicate their responsibilities to others,” he said.

Regarding the investment opportunities that have opened up in the Kingdom, Sullivan added: “The market at the moment is emerging; we don’t know where it will go. I’ve opened cinemas now in 30 countries around the world and every single one of them is entirely different, so you will not know what’s happening in cinemas here for probably one to two years; then we will have a better understanding of the market.”

Gino Haddad, the managing director of Empire Cinemas, said that the potential Saudi market “is estimated to be almost as big as the whole (of the rest of the) Middle East.”

“So when the market opened up for cinemas, all the operators had full eyes on the Saudi market because it means big numbers,” he added. “We are estimating the market at least to be up to 2,000 screens, and we are very much interested in developing this market.

“We also want to focus on the educational side of cinema; we want to help bring up the new generation to understand and to live with cinema and perceive it not only as entertainment, but also as their future careers.”

The General Authority for Entertainment has indicated that SR267 billion is needed to build suitable infrastructure to serve the entertainment sector across the Kingdom, with expected investments in the sector expected to reach SR18 billion annually, according to a 2018 report from Flanders Investment and Trade.

This month, the Saudi government announced that SR131 billion will be invested in building cinemas and theaters, mainly in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

According to a study by PwC Middle East, a global advisory firm, the Kingdom’s cinema industry — which will serve a population of more than 32 million, the majority of whom are under the age of 30 — is expected to generate $1.5 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

“The world is witnessing Saudi Arabia’s confident steps toward an unprecedented era of social and economic reforms,” said Leila Masinaei, a managing partner at Great Minds Event Management, which staged the Cinema Build KSA Forum.

“The lifting of the cinema ban opens doors to untrodden ground for investments and lucrative revenue streams for the Kingdom.” 


The wheel of time: Jazan’s vibrant pottery reflects heritage

Updated 02 November 2024
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The wheel of time: Jazan’s vibrant pottery reflects heritage

  • Pottery in Jazan is a lasting symbol of authenticity and belonging through the efforts of artisans and enthusiasts

RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia’s Jazan region, pottery is not just a craft but also among the oldest heritage crafts embodying the region’s cultural identity. Its creative legacy echoes locals’ dedication to preserving the traditions of their ancestors.

Over the years, the people of Jazan learned to transform clay into durable and functional tools and utensils. These handcrafted items reflect the beauty of Jazan’s nature and the depth of its heritage — a historic art form that strengthens the relationship between locals and land.

Jazan’s artisans have mastered the art of pottery, molding the clay extracted from dry valleys known as “valley clay.” The clay is carefully collected, purified and kneaded to become soft and moldable, Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

Simple tools are used in molding clay items before leaving them to dry under the sun for several days. The plates are later placed in traditional kilns at high temperatures to become durable and solid to withstand high temperatures and daily use.

Among the pieces created are cooking pots, cups and utensils that continue to be valuable and are used to cook and serve traditional dishes. 

Cooking in clay pots is part of experiencing the region’s heritage and brings with it the warmth of the past. The slow and even distribution of heat makes enhances the dishes that are cooked in it, such as madhbi and mandi.

Despite the emergence of modern household appliances, clay pots for cooking and serving food are still widely popular in Jazan and beyond. 

However, SPA’s report noted that although pottery is an appreciated part of heritage in Jazan, it is facing several challenges, including the lack of young Saudi craftsmen and the lack of natural clay resources.

This has compelled local authorities to intensify efforts to support the craft of pottery, such as organizing training courses that enable youths to acquire the skills for carrying the legacy of this tradition into the future.

Local festivals are also being organized to introduce visitors to the importance of pottery in the region’s heritage and its role in the Saudi culture, SPA reported. 

Pottery in Jazan is a lasting symbol of authenticity and belonging through the efforts of artisans and enthusiasts. It combines locals’ love for land and nature and represents a significant aspect of the region’s cultural identity.


Authorities arrest 21,370 law-breakers in a week

Updated 4 sec ago
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Authorities arrest 21,370 law-breakers in a week

RIYADH: A campaign to track down and arrest violators of residency, employment and border security regulations was conducted across the Kingdom in last week of October. 

A total of 21,370 violators were caught throughout Saudi Arabia, including 12,274 violators of the residency regulations, 5,684 violators of the border security regulations, and 3,412 violators of the employment regulations.

Some 1,492 people were arrested while attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom, of whom 35 percent were Yemeni citizens, 61 percent Ethiopians, and 4 percent of other nationalities. Moreover, 34 people were caught for attempting to irregularly cross the border out of the Kingdom.

Fifteen people were detained for their involvement in transferring, sheltering or employing violators of residency, employment and border security regulations.


Saudi agency aids 258 orphans in Jordan

Updated 2 min 14 sec ago
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Saudi agency aids 258 orphans in Jordan

AMMAN: King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has distributed monthly aid to 258 orphaned children from low-income Jordanian and Syrian refugee families in Mafraq and Irbid, Jordan.

Working with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, the Saudi aid agency provided year-long support covering basic living expenses, educational materials, Eid clothing, and recreational activities. The program aims to eventually support 1,000 orphans across Jordan.

Meanwhile, the aid agency recently concluded its project to combat blindness in Kano, Nigeria. The week-long campaign provided vital eye care to the community, including conducting 5,956 examinations, performing 411 surgeries, and distributing 914 eyeglasses.

This initiative underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to global health and humanitarian aid.


Riyadh to host 34th Saudi Build Exhibition

Updated 02 November 2024
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Riyadh to host 34th Saudi Build Exhibition

  • The exhibition will be staged alongside the 25th edition of the power and water exhibition Saudi Elenex

RIYADH: The 34th edition of the Saudi Build Exhibition — the region’s largest construction exhibition — will be held from Nov. 4 to Nov. 7 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Up to 600 organizations from 31 countries and 22,000 professionals are expected to attend the event, which is being held under the patronage of the Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail.

The exhibition will be staged alongside the 25th edition of the power and water exhibition Saudi Elenex. It will focus on efforts to transform the construction sector through sustainability and smart technologies.

The Saudi Build Exhibition will cover topics including sustainability, advanced building technologies, and innovation. The event is managed by the Riyadh Exhibitions Company.


Saudi foundation discovers largest recorded sea turtle nesting site in Red Sea

Updated 02 November 2024
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Saudi foundation discovers largest recorded sea turtle nesting site in Red Sea

  • Discovery of site marks significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s environmental conservation efforts

RIYADH: The Saudi General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Marine Turtles in the Red Sea announced on Saturday it had identified the largest recorded sea turtle nesting site in Saudi waters.

Located on the Four Sisters Islands in the Red Sea, the discovery of the site marks a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s environmental conservation efforts, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Khaled Asfahani, the organization’s CEO, said that the Four Sisters Islands had been designated as a protected area for sea turtle species management.

“These islands are essential habitats for endangered turtle species in the Red Sea, including the green turtle and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle. Protecting these sites is vital for the survival of these species, given that they return to these same nesting grounds each year,” he said.

The Four Sisters Islands — Marmar, Daharb, Malatu and Jadeer — have been identified as critical nesting areas with more than 2,500 recorded turtle nests. The islands are a crucial breeding ground for endangered species in the region.

Asfahani said that conserving the habitats is a strategic priority, as their survival supports the broader Red Sea ecosystem, essential for maintaining biodiversity.

The organization is developing a management plan to protect more than 180 identified beach nesting sites along the Red Sea coast in Saudi Arabia.

Its environmental teams are also working to enhance sustainable tourism and eco-friendly entertainment opportunities around the ecosystems, Asfahani said.

Sea turtles are a vital component of the Red Sea ecosystem and contribute to the area’s biological and environmental balance.