The Saudi Pavilion participating in the Expo 2020 Dubai inaugurated the “Saudi Film Nights” event, in cooperation with the Film Authority.
The event aims to shed light on the cultural and creative scene in the Kingdom, enhance the presence of Saudi film in international festivals, and convey the stories and visions of the pioneers of the seventh art.
The opening ceremony was held in the external courtyard of the pavilion, in the presence of the Commissioner-General of the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Hussain Hanbaza, the CEO of the Film Authority, Eng. Abdullah Al Ayyaf, and a number of filmmakers, artists and those interested in the film industry, as well as a large crowd visiting the pavilion and the international exhibition .
In his opening speech, the CEO of the Film Authority said: “For more than a century, films have been one of the most effective and influential means of communication and culture, if not the most, because they reflect our stories, legacies, dreams and interests, and express what goes on in our minds and hearts.”
He added, “Through films, makers can capture human feelings and enrich our lives by telling personal stories and their great counterparts that transcend the boundaries of our personal reality.
He stressed that the Kingdom, with the support of Vision 2030, is witnessing a broad cultural renaissance that encourages and stimulates creativity and nurtures talent, pointing out that the unprecedented growth the Kingdom is currently witnessing in the film industry allows for the establishment of fruitful partnerships, and contributes to opening great investment opportunities, saying, “The The Film Authority is one of 11 bodies affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, which lead the development of the sector and its talents.
He indicated that the Film Authority provides programs to develop young cinematic and creative talents, creates exchange opportunities, and builds local and international partnerships with leading institutions and experts in this industry, in order to develop the promising film scene.
During the ceremony, the CEO of the Film Authority expressed his pride in the experience of the “Saudi Film Nights”, which will present a group of Saudi films, talents and stories to a global audience through the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, noting that these “nights”, It will hold workshops, panel discussions and interactive shows, as well as technical meetings and film seminars, that will shed light on the arts of industry and the future of promising Saudi cinema.
The Contemporary London Orchestra played the melodies of the Saudi film “Jude” in front of the pavilion’s audience and visitors directly. Civil development following the discovery of oil.
The “Saudi Film Nights” event will witness, over three days, Saudi film screenings inside the cinema hall of the Kingdom’s pavilion, in addition to external screenings of a number of Saudi films in the pavilions of Morocco and Spain, and the “Terra” sustainability pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, in The framework of expanding the spread of Saudi film, and enhancing its access to different segments of Arab and Western societies, which helps in refining the talents of Saudi filmmakers and supporting their artistic capabilities, and then introducing international production companies and investors to the nature of the opportunities provided by the Kingdom in this framework, which contributes to Developing the future of this creative industry within the Kingdom.
