- Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has lifted its ban, the government will still censor all films to make sure they agree with the country’s cultural standards. Following the first theater’s opening this spring, the plan is to continue building theaters so that there are over 300 cinemas with over 2,00 screens by 2030.
There were... no cinemas in Saudi Arabia before?
The only public theater in Saudi Arabia is an IMAX cinema located in Khobar in the Scitech complex, a science and technology center offering exhibits that deal with varying science and technologies, as well as an astronomic observatory. This IMAX cinema is showing documentaries, mostly produced in the United States, during non-prayer timings. The documentaries are shown in Arabic, and headphones are available with English audio. Saudi Arabia is no joke. The UAE is a little better but they still don't fuck around. Got a buddy. Does work in Dubai sometimes. Did some b-roll for a short film in Gaza. Had to report his passport lost because if you have an Israel stamp? Yeah, you're not allowed in any of the Kingdoms.In the 1980s, there were some improvised movie halls in Saudi Arabia, most of which were in Jeddah and Mecca, where Egyptian, Indian, and Turkish films were screened without government intervention. However, all these halls were closed due to the continuous objections of religious conservatives during the Islamic revival movement in the 1980s. As a political response to an increase in Islamist activism including the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the government closed all cinemas and theaters.
Sounds like what the Soviet Union has been doing, only rather... primitive, as if driven by instinct. Sounds like what Russia is doing, only with Ukraine. Not an unfamiliar scenario.because if you have an Israel stamp? Yeah, you're not allowed in any of the Kingdoms.
Any favorites you can name? That's where the insane part comes in.I've seen some of 'em.
Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, banned all cinema
Not as of yet. Keep in mind, I grew up in the '80s, at a nuclear weapons lab in the middle of the New Mexico desert. Nevsky we had to order bootleg from a mail-order warehouse in New York. Solaris I didn't see until past college, despite loving sci fi. For some reason, though, we had tears on VHS at the local video store (the one, the only one). I didn't even know Eolomea was a thing until like a couple years ago.
Well, now that you're living in a free world — if you have interest, here's a few films to start.