The Saudi Film Confex opened its third edition this week with local and international speakers and local and international exhibitors taking part in the event in Riyadh.
The film business exhibition, organized by the Saudi Film Commission (SFC), is part of the SFC’s mission to promote the development of the Saudi film industry. Saudi Film Confex will be held from October 22nd to 25th.
Saudi Film Confex’s goals include attracting investment, promoting the Kingdom as a filming destination, and positioning the Kingdom as a regional hub for the film industry.
The third edition will feature 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 filming location and studio Film AlUla, MENA film group Vox Cinemas, broadcasting giant MBC Group, production services company Yellow Camel, and camera manufacturers Arri and Canon.
Yesterday, Johnny Depp attended the Saudi Film Confex as one of the speakers and gave an acting masterclass. This took place after an opening event where a troupe of dancers performed in front of a montage of Saudi locations (pictured above).
Conference panelists will include John Holmes, director of international original production and post at Amazon MGM Studios, and Steve Plimsoll, chief strategy officer and acting chief marketing officer at Saudi AI company Humane, who will discuss the impact of AI in post-production.
Alex Walton, co-chair of WME Independent, Faisal Darwish, head of institutional banking at Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF), and Emad Eskander, head of the Red Sea Fund, also participated in a panel discussion on how to find investment for films.
Also in Riyadh, Amanda Neville, former CEO of the British Film Institute, will also take part in a panel discussion on the future of Saudi Arabia’s film industry. Neil Peplow, former CEO of the London Film School and current Director of Industrial Learning at Neom, also spoke on a panel discussion on training and education.
Meanwhile, Adon Quinn, CEO of Saudi screening company Mvi Cinemas, is participating in a panel discussion on film distribution. French CNC bilateral affairs advisor Julien Ezzinno and New Zealand Film Commission CEO Annie Murray will also participate in a panel discussion on the co-production.
This year, the third time, the event will be held under the theme of “A Gathering that Changes the Scene,” with the aim of bringing together filmmakers, domestic and international producers, and industry experts.
This comes as Saudi investments continue to flow into the international film industry. Earlier this month, veteran producer Eric Feig launched a new production company, Arena SNK Studio, which is chaired by Saudi businessman Majid Al Ibrahim of broadcaster MBC Group.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia has rapidly built up its screening circuit since 2018, when movie theaters began opening for the first time after a 35-year ban, and has emerged as an important market for film distribution in the Middle East.
A Saudi movie starring Tawfik al-Zaidi is also starting to attract international attention.‘s Nora A drama for women directed by Shahad Amin that was selected for the 2023 Cannes “Un Certain Regard” category. hijra The film received critical acclaim after its premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
(Tag Translation) Exhibition
