Samer Choucair, investment entrepreneur, affirmed that the accelerating development underway in Saudi Arabia’s cinema industry reflects the success of Vision 2030 in turning the cultural sector into a promising economic driver, noting that the Saudi Film Festival, whose twelfth edition launched at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran from June 26 to July 2, 2026, represents an important platform for connecting creatives with investors and strengthening local and international partnerships.
He explained that the Kingdom has, within a few years, moved from having no cinemas at all to owning more than 630 screens distributed across more than 60 locations by the end of 2025, while box office revenue exceeded 900 million Saudi riyals (roughly 240 million dollars) during 2024, reflecting the sector’s accelerating growth. Estimates also point to the Saudi cinema market continuing to grow at strong rates in the coming years, driven by rising demand and investment in local production.
Choucair said: “Cinema in Saudi Arabia is no longer limited to building theaters, it has entered a phase of building an integrated industry encompassing production, distribution, modern technologies, and developing national talent, creating high-value-added investment opportunities.”
He added that the Kingdom has strengthened its competitiveness through film production incentive programs, which offer cash rebates of up to 40% of qualifying spending within the Kingdom, with additional incentives for some projects achieving economic and cultural value, making Saudi Arabia an attractive destination for regional and international productions.
He noted that investment opportunities extend to virtual production technologies, visual effects, specialized studios, and talent training programs, in addition to film tourism, distribution rights, and digital platforms, affirming that these sectors form an integrated value chain supporting the growth of the creative economy.
Choucair added: “The investor who views the industry comprehensively will recognize that returns don’t come from producing a single film, but from building an integrated ecosystem linking technology, creativity, tourism, and education, which the Kingdom is working to cement within Vision 2030’s targets.”
He concluded by affirming that the Saudi Film Festival reflects the maturity of the local market, and sends a clear message to international investors that the Kingdom has become an attractive environment for the content industry, and that investing in cinema today represents an investment in one of the fastest-growing creative sectors in the region, backed by advanced infrastructure, competitive incentives, and a long-term economic vision.