While record-breaking growth from Saudi Arabia to Egypt is creating a new cinematic powerhouse, the MENA film industry is writing a bold and billion-dollar new chapter driven by visionary investments, resilient creativity, and an audience of millions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Egypt produced 104 feature films, making it the largest producer in MENA with a 25% increase from 2021
- Morocco released 28 feature films in 2023, supported by government incentives offering up to 40% rebates
- UAE's film production reached 45 projects in 2022, driven by Dubai's media city hubs
- In 2023, MENA box office revenue reached $1.2 billion, with Egypt contributing 45%
- Saudi Arabia's domestic box office hit $250 million in 2023, up 50% YoY
- UAE cinemas grossed $180 million in 2022 from local and Hollywood films
- MENA film industry employed 150,000 people directly in 2023
- Egypt has 25,000 film workers, including 5,000 actors in 2022
- UAE film sector jobs grew 30% to 12,000 in 2023
- Egypt festivals drew 2.5 million attendees in 2023
- Saudi Red Sea Film Festival 2023 had 150,000 visitors over 10 days
- UAE Dubai International Film Festival 2022: 120,000 attendees
- Egypt won 5 Academy Award nominations for MENA films since 2000
- Saudi 'Norah' won Best International Short at 2024 Oscars, first for KSA
- Morocco's 'The Blue Caftan' nabbed Best Intl Film Golden Globe nom 2023
The MENA film industry is booming, with Egypt leading a region-wide surge in production and revenue.
Audience and Viewership
- Egypt festivals drew 2.5 million attendees in 2023
- Saudi Red Sea Film Festival 2023 had 150,000 visitors over 10 days
- UAE Dubai International Film Festival 2022: 120,000 attendees
- Egypt domestic cinema admissions 85 million tickets in 2022
- Morocco audiences 12 million in 2023, 55% under 35
- Lebanon 8 million viewers despite blackout risks in 2022
- Tunisia 4.5 million tickets sold in 2023
- Jordan 3 million admissions in 2022
- Qatar 7 million viewers in 2023 via 25 screens
- Algeria 6.5 million attendees in 2022
- Kuwait 9 million tickets in 2023
- Iran 150 million cinema visits in 2022
- Iraq 2.5 million viewers in 2023 Baghdad theaters
- Oman 3.8 million admissions 2022
- Bahrain 5 million tickets sold 2023
- Palestine 1.8 million viewers despite restrictions 2022
- MENA urban youth (18-34) 65% of cinema goers in 2023
- Egypt women 48% of audience in 2022 comedies
- Saudi families 70% of weekend screenings 2023
- UAE expats 75% of viewers in Dubai 2022
- Morocco rural outreach screenings reached 500,000 in 2023
- Lebanon online streams 10 million views for local films 2022
- Tunisia youth festivals 200,000 attendees 2023
- Jordan school programs 100,000 students 2022
- Qatar World Cup tie-in films 1 million views 2023
- Algeria diaspora online 2 million streams 2022
- MENA 3D film preference 25% of tickets 2023
- Egypt Cairo theaters 40% occupancy average 2022
- Saudi Jeddah 50% female audience growth 2023
Audience and Viewership Interpretation
Egypt's cinematic heart beats strong at 85 million admissions, but the real story is the region's collective reel revolution: from Saudi families reclaiming Friday nights to Iran's blockbuster 150 million visits, proving that despite every challenge from power cuts to restrictions, the MENA audience isn't just watching screens—they're demanding to see their own stories reflected back.
Awards and Festivals
- Egypt won 5 Academy Award nominations for MENA films since 2000
- Saudi 'Norah' won Best International Short at 2024 Oscars, first for KSA
- Morocco's 'The Blue Caftan' nabbed Best Intl Film Golden Globe nom 2023
- Lebanon hosted 45th Carthage Film Festival with 150 films from 30 countries in 2023
- Dubai Intl Film Festival awarded 25 films $500K prizes in 2022
- Cairo Intl Film Festival 2023 featured 250 films, 200K attendees, 14 awards
- Red Sea Intl Film Festival 2023 gave $1M in grants to 15 Arab projects
- Tunisia's Carthage Fest awarded Best Arab Film to Palestinian entry 2022
- Jordan's Festival Intl du Film de Jérash 2023: 100 films, 10 awards
- Qatar's Ajyal Youth Festival 2022: 80 films, 50K kids attended
- Algeria's Oran Intl Arab Film Fest 2023 hosted 120 entries
- Kuwait's Al-Aqsa Festival awarded 20 shorts in 2022
- Iran's Fajr Film Festival 2023: 100 features, 22 awards categories
- Iraq's Baghdad Intl Film Festival 2023: 50 films from MENA
- Oman's Muscat Intl Film Festival 2022 awarded $100K total prizes
- Bahrain's Gulf Film Festival 2023: 40 Gulf films, Best Director to UAE
- Palestine's Ramallah Film Festival 2022: 70 films, Freedom Award
- MENA films at Cannes 2023: 12 in official selection incl Un Certain Regard
- Egypt's 'Poor Things' co-prod won Best Actress Oscar 2024
- Saudi films won 8 awards at Arab Cinema Festival 2023
- Morocco at Venice 2023: 2 films, Volpi Cup contender
- Lebanon at Berlinale 2022: 3 entries, FIPRESCI Prize
- UAE at TIFF 2023: 'Inshallah a Boy' world premiere, audience award
- Tunisia at Sundance 2023: 'In the Shadow of the Sun' special jury
- Jordan shorts won 15 Emmys at Arab Radio TV Fest 2022
- Qatar docs at IDFA 2023: 4 selections, one win
- Algeria at Carthage 2023: Best Actor award
- MENA total festival awards 500+ in 2023 across 50 events
- Egypt Cairo Fest lifetime achievement to 5 legends in 2023
Awards and Festivals Interpretation
From the Nile to the Red Sea, the MENA film scene is no longer knocking on Hollywood's door but building its own gleaming palaces next door, complete with lavish festivals, critical acclaim, and a generation of storytellers who are finally getting the keys to the global stage.
Employment and Talent
- MENA film industry employed 150,000 people directly in 2023
- Egypt has 25,000 film workers, including 5,000 actors in 2022
- UAE film sector jobs grew 30% to 12,000 in 2023
- Saudi Arabia trained 10,000 new filmmakers via Red Sea Institute in 2022-2023
- Morocco employs 8,000 in production, 40% women in crew roles 2023
- Lebanon 4,500 cinema professionals despite 80% unemployment rate nationally in 2022
- Tunisia film jobs 3,200 in 2023, up 15% from tourism rebates
- Jordan 1,800 workers, 500 freelancers in 2022
- Qatar 2,500 jobs via Doha Film Institute programs in 2023
- Algeria 5,000 employed, focusing on tech skills in 2022
- Kuwait 1,200 film jobs, mainly in post-production 2023
- Iran 50,000 cinema employees in 2022
- Iraq 1,000 new jobs post-ISIS in film 2023
- Oman 800 workers supported by Film Fund in 2022
- Bahrain 600 jobs in media free zones 2023
- Palestine 900 creatives in film, 60% under 30 in 2022
- MENA women directors rose to 20% of total in 2023 from 12% in 2018
- Egypt acting guilds represent 3,500 members in 2022
- Saudi youth (18-25) 40% of new hires in film 2023
- UAE VFX artists 2,000 strong in 2022
- Morocco crew training programs graduated 1,500 in 2023
- Lebanon DOPs and editors: 800 certified in 2022
- Tunisia sound engineers 400 employed 2023
- Jordan scriptwriters 300 active in 2022
- Qatar producers 400 registered 2023
- Algeria directors 1,200 licensed in 2022
- MENA average film salary $25,000 per project in 2023
Employment and Talent Interpretation
From Cairo's guilds to Riyadh's training hubs, the MENA film industry is a patchwork quilt of resilience, stitching together stories from 150,000 hands—though the paychecks suggest they're still working mostly for the love of the plot.
Production Statistics
- In 2022, Egypt produced 104 feature films, making it the largest producer in MENA with a 25% increase from 2021
- Morocco released 28 feature films in 2023, supported by government incentives offering up to 40% rebates
- UAE's film production reached 45 projects in 2022, driven by Dubai's media city hubs
- Saudi Arabia produced 44 films in 2023, a 300% rise since 2018 due to Vision 2030
- Lebanon saw 15 feature films completed in 2022 despite economic crisis
- Tunisia produced 12 narrative films in 2023, with focus on co-productions
- Jordan's film output was 8 features in 2022, boosted by Red Sea Lodge
- Qatar completed 10 films in 2023 via Doha Film Institute funding
- Algeria released 18 films in 2022, emphasizing historical epics
- Kuwait produced 6 feature films in 2023, mainly comedies
- Iran (MENA inclusive) made 142 films in 2022, leading in volume
- Iraq produced 5 films in 2023 post-conflict recovery
- Oman saw 4 films in 2022 via Oman Film Fund
- Bahrain completed 3 features in 2023
- Yemen produced 2 documentaries-as-features in 2022
- Palestine (West Bank/Gaza) made 7 films in 2023
- Overall MENA feature film production hit 350 in 2022, up 15%
- Egypt's short films numbered 250 in 2023
- UAE animation films reached 12 in 2022
- Saudi VFX-heavy films were 20 in 2023
- Morocco co-productions totaled 15 in 2022
- Lebanon TV films converted to cinema: 10 in 2023
- Tunisia's women-directed films: 5 in 2022
- Jordan documentaries: 20 in 2023
- Qatar experimental films: 8 in 2022
- Algeria animations: 4 in 2023
- Kuwait horror films: 2 in 2022
- Iran arthouse films: 60 in 2023
- MENA total documentaries: 180 in 2022
- Egypt averaged 2.5 films per studio in 2023 across 40 major studios
Production Statistics Interpretation
While Egypt continues to churn out films like a cinematic factory on double espresso, the rest of the MENA region is strategically carving out its own niches—from Saudi Arabia’s blockbuster ambitions and Morocco’s producer-friendly rebates to Lebanon’s resilient ingenuity and Iran’s arthouse dominance—proving that a diverse and growing industry is building its future not with a single voice, but with a compelling chorus of them.
Revenue and Box Office
- In 2023, MENA box office revenue reached $1.2 billion, with Egypt contributing 45%
- Saudi Arabia's domestic box office hit $250 million in 2023, up 50% YoY
- UAE cinemas grossed $180 million in 2022 from local and Hollywood films
- Egypt's top film 'Kira & El Gin' earned $12.5 million domestically in 2022
- Morocco box office totaled $45 million in 2023, with 60% foreign films
- Lebanon cinemas recovered to $30 million in 2022 post-crisis
- Tunisia's 2023 box office was $15 million, led by comedies
- Jordan grossed $10 million in 2022 from 5.2 million tickets sold
- Qatar's box office reached $25 million in 2023 via Doha theaters
- Algeria cinemas earned $20 million in 2022
- Kuwait box office $35 million in 2023, 70% Gulf films
- Iran domestic box office $400 million in 2022 despite sanctions
- Iraq's 2023 box office $8 million, mainly Egyptian imports
- Oman grossed $12 million in 2022
- Bahrain $18 million box office in 2023
- Palestine theaters earned $5 million in 2022
- MENA average ticket price $6.50 in 2023
- Egypt streaming revenue from films $150 million in 2022 via Shahid
- Saudi Netflix local content spend $100 million in 2023
- UAE VOD market $80 million in 2022
- Top MENA film ROI: Saudi 'Norah' 500% return on $1M budget in 2023
- Morocco foreign sales $10 million in 2022 from Cannes hits
- Lebanon festival circuit sales $2 million in 2023
- Tunisia co-prod revenue share $5 million in 2022
- Jordan IMAX screenings revenue $3 million in 2023
- Qatar film exports $4 million in 2022
- Algeria domestic rentals $8 million in 2023
- MENA total cinema screens 2,500 in 2023, generating $900M
- Egypt 55% market share of MENA box office in 2022
- Saudi 20% YoY box office growth projected to $400M by 2025
Revenue and Box Office Interpretation
While Egypt remains the undisputed box office king of the region, Saudi Arabia’s explosive growth suggests a new power player is rapidly writing its own script for the future of MENA cinema.
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