The new face of
Saudi Arabia

Sharing Saudi culture through cinema

Once seen as an insular nation, Saudi Arabia is emerging as a destination for international events in sports and entertainment. In December 2019, the country hosted MDLBeast Soundstorm, a three-day electronic music festival in Riyadh, breaking away from past male-only, seated concerts. The mixed-gender festival drew nearly 200,000 people and has become a regular fixture.

Since then, Saudi Arabia has secured a spot on the Formula One calendar, Riyadh will host the World Expo in 2030 and the country has bid for the 2034 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia has also become a notable venue for the film industry, hosting events like the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, alongside the national Saudi Arabia Film Festival. The international film festival aims to showcase regional cinema and boost cultural exchange, following the lifting of a 35-year ban on public cinemas showing international films.

The country's entertainment landscape has seen significant development, including projects like Qiddiya, a sports and entertainment city on the outskirts of Riyadh. These investments aim not only to provide new leisure opportunities but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs and attracting tourists, while also positioning Saudi Arabia as a cultural and entertainment hub globally.

Baraa Alem, a 29-year-old actor from Jeddah, sees these changes positively, particularly in expanding the diversity of Saudi cinema.

“Saudi Arabia is a big country and has a lot of different cultures and accents … so whatever film we will create we will find a target audience relating to it,” he said.

He told The National he has begun to observe significant changes within the industry, including increased governmental support for cultural initiatives.

“You walk in the streets, and you see change. The governmental institutes care about culture, we have the Ministry of Culture and under that we have music and theatre and cinema, and this is benefiting us a lot.”

Despite this, he said the government could do more in terms of funding to help the industry grow.

“We didn’t have the support of the governmental and institutional support to create stories like fantasy and romance and portray them on the big screen.

“We have a long way to go but we have to continue developing and educating people when it comes to the film industry.”

He said Saudi cinema had the potential to present unique and authentic stories in Arabic, away from Hollywood-style films.

In his most recent film, Hwjn, Alem played a supernatural spirit, known in the Arab world and in Islam as jinn, which becomes fascinated by a human family that moves into the home he and his family have been occupying. Released in January and adapted from a fantasy romance novel by Saudi writer and director Ibraheem Abbas, Hwjn was praised for successfully elements of traditional Saudi culture and universal fantasy themes.

“I don’t want our movies to appeal to the west because I hate when we try to remake western films or try to prove that we are as good as they are,” said Alem.

“We just need to be true to ourselves and create good quality movies that appeal to the whole world, not just to the West.”

With all the social and cultural changes in Saudi Arabia, Alem believes the film industry can help bridge generational divides and called for empathy towards older generations, who may be struggling to adjust.

“I don't blame the older generation for that cultural shock they are going through with all the changes, because they’ve been living under specific values for years,” he said.

“We are a very lucky generation because we are living in the golden era of transition where we are pushing for the evolution of the industries and trying to show the world who we really are, because other than the desert and camels, we've been accused and looked at in awful stereotypes – like terrorism.”

Lana Komsany, a 45-year-old from Jeddah, works across various roles in the film industry, including acting, writing and directing, and advocates for more representation of women in Saudi film and TV.

“Single moms need more representation in media where we can break misconceptions and misunderstanding about how we go about our mental health,” she said.

Komsany studied theatre abroad before returning to her native country. At the time, her choice of study was met with scepticism, but she was determined to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

“Following my career did not involve my country until Vision 2030 came out, and that’s when I decided to ride the wave,” she said.

Vision 2030 has significantly impacted the arts sector, making it “easier for students to pursue a career in arts in Saudi Arabia”, she said.

Opportunities for women have increased in the industry as they have become more visible and there is a newfound openness to addressing sensitive topics, such as abuse, in the media.

“Opportunities for women now are limitless,” said Komsany.

She seeks to change the perception of women and advocates for authentic representation in media.

“Through film, I want to change the stereotypical idea that women are followers.”

Empowering women and young people

Some of the most significant changes made in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030 in recent years have centred on women’s rights.

The most significant was the lifting of the driving ban in June 2018, giving women greater autonomy to access the workforce and participate in society. In August 2019, the male guardianship system was abolished by royal decree, allowing women to travel without male permission and complete government transactions independently.

Labour laws were also amended to protect women from discrimination in the workplace and encourage their employment to drive economic development and diversity. Under the changes, the percentage of women in the Saudi workforce rose to just over a third – 35.9 per cent – in the third quarter of 2023, up from 17 per cent in 2017.

A number of initiatives, aimed at harnessing the potential of the country’s youth, expanding education and employment opportunities with a focus on innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, have also been brought in. These include developing programmes and institutions to equip young Saudi Arabians with the skills needed for future jobs.

Reem Khalid, a 27-year-old architect and interior designer based in Riyadh, said she has already felt the difference.

“[Previously,] It wasn’t as easy for women to work in any field and in any roles, especially managerial positions. Women were only expected to work at desk jobs,” she said.

“Now, the changes have expanded access to education for women and young people. This has increased workforce participation and the ability to pursue diverse career paths.”

This shift has not only opened doors for women across various sectors but redefined their roles within the economy and society, she said.

“Women are now empowered more than before. Now their talents contribute to the economy, and they are becoming agents of change, and this is really important,” said Ms Khalid, who is originally from Jeddah.

In her own work, she says she has become more involved in planning, design and can even go on site visits to oversee construction – a task that would have been difficult a few years ago.

“The government has really recognised the potential of young people and has launched various initiatives to show young people’s talents, promote innovation, and provide them with platforms to support their aspirations.”

She sees the increasing opportunities for women and young people in Saudi Arabia as pivotal to the country’s future development, saying it will ensure “a dynamic, diverse, and sustainable future for the country”.

Similar changes are being felt in the music industry by artists like Ghada Sheri, a 28-year-old singer and songwriter.

“The increase in opportunities for women is undoubtedly positive,” she said.

“Talented female artists across various music genres, including classical, traditional, indie and contemporary, are now receiving well-deserved recognition for their contributions.”

Despite facing initial challenges in the music industry, Sheri said social reforms coupled with more government support have changed the cultural landscape significantly.

“Music has become crucial in highlighting Saudi culture and this is evident through the numerous musical initiatives and activities that the country is creating and that are taking place both locally and internationally,” she said.

“Saudi Arabia is setting a new benchmark by hosting diverse music activities and focusing on industry growth while enriching the musical archive.”

Welcoming the world

Saudi Arabia opened its doors to international tourism in earnest in September 2019, with the introduction of a 90-day tourist visa scheme for citizens of 49 countries. This has since been expanded to 63 nations.

The move signalled the kingdom’s desire to redefine itself as a global tourist destination with the aim of attracting 100 million visitors a year by the end of the decade – a goal raised to 150m in 2024. It was supplemented with nationwide investments in projects to develop tourist sites that showcase the country’s cultural heritage, natural beauty, and historical sites, including AlUla, the Red Sea Project and Soudah Peaks. In October, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism said the kingdom was spending more than $800 billion in the tourism sector.

Mac Candee, a 31-year-old American travel content creator, with more than 92,000 followers on Instagram, has visited Saudi Arabia four times since September. During his visits, he discovered the country’s diverse landscapes and evolving culture.

“When I visited the southern part of Saudi, Abha city in Asir province, where there’s mountainous and green luscious landscape, it was something that people – especially myself – would have never imagined finding in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Candee said he was surprised by the rapid evolution of Saudi society, blending local customs with influences from neighbouring regions.

“I expected the people to be more closed off, but it was quite the opposite,” he said.

“In the Middle East, especially in Islamic culture, people invite people into their household or invite people in and help them out, and it definitely exceeded that expectation in Saudi Arabia as well.”

The diversity of the country and its people, coupled with the Saudis' awareness and pride in their heritage, leaving a lasting impression on him.

“I really appreciated that Saudi people are aware that they’ve had a bit of a closed-off culture for many years, but they are very confident in what they have to offer to this world.”

Doug Barnard, a 27-year-old American travel content creator with more than 551,000 followers on YouTube, was inspired to start his travel channel after visiting Saudi Arabia.

“When Saudi Arabia started their tourism visa at the end of 2019, I thought, ‘what better place to start my travel YouTube channel than in Saudi Arabia and be one of the first people to go there and put it on YouTube?’” he told The National. Barnard's visits to the country allowed him to challenge preconceptions about the country and discover the warmth and friendliness of its people.

“Growing up, Saudi Arabia was this black hole, where it was closed for tourism and had a reputation of being conservative and a closed society, it was basically a mystery to me.

“People were very friendly, silly and they were happy to have me, and eager to learn about me,” he said.

Over his four visits to the country, Barnard has tracked the changes to kingdom. During his first visit, tourists were not as common as they are today.

“I felt people thought it was so random and unexpected to see this American guy walking around the streets of Riyadh and Jeddah alone.”

But with every reoccurring visit to the country, he has observed an increasing number of tourists and evolving infrastructure, such as more English-language signage and more budget-friendly accommodation options.

“One of the things I’ve noticed about Saudi tourism is that they seem to be targeting the higher end tourism sector, so someone like me, who's more of a backpacker or a mid-range to budget traveller, there’s a lack of international-style hotels that are not high end.”

As Saudi Arabia embraces international tourism, travellers like Candee and Barnard said they hope the country retains its unique identity while welcoming visitors from around the world.