Saudi Arabia’s film industry earned a feature from the Financial Times, as the Kingdom is banking on domestic films to boost box office sales, following a 24.5% drop in revenues to USD 200 mn in 2023. Hobal, a Bedouin family drama, has earned USD 6 mn and may surpass the local record of USD 10.8 mn, aided by rural outreach by the cast and staggered releases throughout the country.

The push for local hits: Domestic films accounted for only 10% of 2023 receipts, with Hollywood blockbusters continuing to dominate, despite efforts to cut licensing fees and ticket prices. Telfaz11 Studios ’ head Wael Abumansour stressed the need for homegrown hits and genre experimentation to build audience trust and attract investment.

Hope is not dead: Industry figures remain hopeful, with upcoming films like Haifaa Al Mansour’s Unidentified expected to drive future growth. “There is a whole generation of filmmakers who grew up in the era of cinematic openness, and a whole generation of audiences who do not remember what it was like to travel to Bahrain or Dubai,” film critic Ahmed Al Ayyad told the salmon-colored paper.

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