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The Saudi Film Confex has kicked off its third edition this week with a line-up of international speakers as well as local and international exhibitors attending the event in Riyadh.
Organised by the Saudi Film Commission (SFC), the film business exhibition is part of the SFC’s mission to foster the development of the Saudi film industry. Saudi Film Confex runs from October 22-25.
Among Saudi Film Confex objectives are attracting investment, promoting the Kingdom as a filming location and positioning Saudi as a regional hub for the film industry.
The third edition is hosting an international conference featuring panel discussions and workshops covering topics such as film financing, content development and regulatory frameworks.
It is also hosting an exhibition with local and international participants including Saudi location and studios Film AlUla, MENA cinema group Vox Cinemas, production services firm Yellow Camel, and camera manufacturers Arri and Canon.
Johnny Depp was among the speakers yesterday at Saudi Film Confex, delivering an acting masterclass. This came after an opening event which included a troupe of dancers performing in front of a montage of Saudi locations (pictured above).
Panellists at the conference include John Holmes, Amazon MGM Studios director of international originals production & post, and Steve Plimsoll, chief strategy officer and acting CMO of Saudi AI firm Humain, discussing the impact of AI on post production.
Alex Walton, co-head WME Independent, Faisal Darwish, head of institutional banking at Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF), and Emad Eskander, head of Red Sea Fund, are also taking part, delivering a panel on how to find investment for films.
Also in Riyadh is Amanda Nevill, the former CEO of the British Film Institute, to take part in a panel on the future of the film industry in Saudi Arabia. So too is former London Film School CEO and current Neom director of industry learning Neil Peplow, speaking on a panel about training and education.
Meanwhile, Adon Quinn, the CEO of Saudi exhibitor Muvi Cinemas, is taking part in a panel on film distribution. Julien Ezanno, bilateral affairs advisor at France’s CNC, and Annie Murray, the CEO of the New Zealand Film Commission, are also joining a panel about co-productions.
The third edition is being held under the theme of ‘A Gathering That Transforms the Scene’, aiming to bring together filmmakers, local and international producers and industry specialists.
It comes as Saudi investment continues to flow into the international film industry. Earlier this month, veteran producer Erik Feig launched Arena SNK Studios, a new production company chaired by Saudi businessman Majid Al-Ibrahim of the broadcaster MBC Group.
Saudi has also rapidly built up an exhibition circuit from a standing start in 2018 when cinemas first started opening after a 35-year ban, and has emerged as a significant market for film distribution in the Middle East.
Saudi films are also starting to gain international attention, with Tawfik Alzaidi’s Norah selected for Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2023 and Shahad Ameen’s female-focused drama Hijra gaining strong reviews following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival this year.
However, Saudi has struggled to attract significant inward investment films following a brief flurry of high-profile projects such as Desert Warrior and Kandahar several years ago. Among the challenges for international producers are navigating legal and bureaucratic hurdles to finance films through the country’s tax incentive, which offers a 40% cash rebate.
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