While Hollywood is celebrating the newly announced Golden Globe nominations, Saudi Arabia is celebrating something very different: a new law that will once again allow movie theaters to operate. For the last 35 years, cinemas have been banned in the kingdom; that changed on Monday, when the government announced that it was finally reversing the ban, according to the A.P.. The decision is reportedly being pushed through by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was also behind Saudi Arabia’s recent decisions to allow women to drive and to bring concerts back to the country. Just a few days ago, Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji became the first female artist to stage a concert in the kingdom.
Per the A.P., the government is laying groundwork to allow commercial licenses for theaters. The first movie theater is expected to open by March 2018, and the government estimates that by 2030, there will be 300 theaters (with 2,000 screens) in Saudi Arabia. The projected revenue is 90 billion riyals (or $24 billion), which will be bolstered by the creation of more than 30,000 jobs, the A.P. notes.
The modernist decision is part of bin Salman’s and the government’s initiative Vision 2030, which seeks to broaden their country’s sources of revenue outside of the oil industry.
“It’s spectacular news. We are in a state of shock,” Saudi actor and producer Hisham Fageeh told the A.P.
Of course, the decision to allow theaters also comes with certain caveats. Films will still “be subject to censorship,” per the government, in order to adhere to the country’s strict moral and religious laws. In addition, it is still unclear whether cinemas will largely cater to Hollywood, Bollywood, or Saudi Arabian films, and whether theaters will segregate women and men. However, the initial decision to allow commercial licenses is a massive step forward for Saudi film lovers, and could potentially allow more Saudi filmmakers a chance to flourish—as well as inspire aspiring cinephiles. Prior to this reversal, wannabe moviegoers had to travel to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to catch movies in theaters. While the March 2018 start date means Saudi Arabian crowds will miss out on the big-screen perfection that is Lady Bird, here’s hoping they’ll get a chance to weigh in on whatever movies rule the Western box office next summer.
