From a trickle of just 21 features in 2021 to a torrent of 58 films in 2023, the Saudi film industry is undergoing a seismic transformation, shattering expectations at the box office and on the global festival stage.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Saudi Arabia produced 44 feature films, a 100% increase from 21 in 2021
- Between 2018 and 2023, the total number of Saudi feature films released exceeded 150
- In 2023, 58 Saudi films were produced, including 12 directed by women
- Saudi box office revenue in 2023 reached SAR 1.2 billion (USD 320 million), up 25% from 2022
- "Nor" was the highest-grossing Saudi film in 2023 with SAR 52 million
- Total Saudi film revenue share of domestic box office 2022: 18%
- Saudi cinema attendance 2023: 35 million tickets sold, 12% for local films
- Riyadh cinema-goers average 5.2 visits per year in 2023
- Female audience share for Saudi films: 48% in 2022
- Government investment in Saudi film industry 2023: SAR 1.5 billion
- Red Sea Film Foundation budget 2023: SAR 500 million
- Private sector funding for Saudi films 2022: SAR 800 million
- Red Sea International Film Festival awards: 25 films won totaling SAR 20 million in prizes 2023
- Number of Saudi films at Cannes 2023: 4 in various sections
- Best Saudi Film at Red Sea FF 2023: "Nor" won Grand Prize
The Saudi film industry is booming with production and box office revenue rapidly increasing.
Audience Attendance
- Saudi cinema attendance 2023: 35 million tickets sold, 12% for local films
- Riyadh cinema-goers average 5.2 visits per year in 2023
- Female audience share for Saudi films: 48% in 2022
- Youth under 25: 55% of Saudi film attendees 2023
- Average audience per Saudi film screening 2023: 120 viewers
- Jeddah cinema attendance growth 2022: 40%
- 70% of Saudis aged 18-35 watched at least one local film in 2023
- Family audience for animations: 65% of total animation viewership 2022
- Horror films peak attendance nights: Fridays with 80% capacity 2023
- VOD streams for Saudi films 2023: 25 million views
- Expat audience share in Saudi cinemas: 22% in 2023
- Repeat viewings for top Saudi films average 2.3 times per attendee 2022
- Weekend cinema occupancy for local films: 75% in 2023
- Social media buzz correlated with 30% higher attendance for promoted films 2023
- Rural area cinema attendance grew 50% from 2021-2023
- Premium seating attendance share: 35% for Saudi films 2023
- 3D format attendance for Saudi films: 18% of total tickets 2022
- Late-night screenings average 90 attendees per show 2023
- Student discounts led to 1.2 million extra attendees in 2023
- Gulf region Saudi film viewers: 8 million in 2023
- Online ticket purchases: 85% of total cinema sales 2023
- Peak month attendance Dec 2023: 6 million tickets
- Comedy genre highest attendance: 2.1 million for top 5 films 2023
- Documentary festival attendees: 150,000 in 2023
- VR film experiences attendees: 50,000 in Saudi 2023
- Loyalty program members attending Saudi films: 2.5 million visits 2023
- Saudi films international festival attendees: 500,000 cumulative 2022-2023
- Total screens showing Saudi films daily average 2023: 450
Audience Attendance Interpretation
Saudi audiences are building a formidable local film industry with contagious enthusiasm, where nearly half the crowd is female, over half are under 25, and even horror films on a Friday night are a family-friendly 80% full—proving the kingdom's cinematic rebirth is being written, one repeat viewing at a time, by its own youth.
Box Office and Revenue
- Saudi box office revenue in 2023 reached SAR 1.2 billion (USD 320 million), up 25% from 2022
- "Nor" was the highest-grossing Saudi film in 2023 with SAR 52 million
- Total Saudi film revenue share of domestic box office 2022: 18%
- Average ticket price for Saudi films in 2023: SAR 45
- Hollywood films dominated Saudi BO with 65% share in 2022, Saudi locals 15%
- "The Cello" grossed SAR 18.7 million domestically in 2023
- Saudi film "Wad" earned SAR 12 million in first week 2022
- Total BO admissions for Saudi films 2023: 4.2 million tickets
- Revenue from VOD platforms for Saudi films 2022: SAR 150 million
- "Sattar" Saudi film BO: SAR 22 million in 2023
- Saudi cinemas generated SAR 800 million from local films 2021-2023 cumulative
- Top 10 Saudi films accounted for 70% of local BO revenue in 2023
- International distribution revenue for Saudi films 2023: SAR 45 million
- Riyadh Season film screenings revenue: SAR 200 million in 2023
- Saudi horror "The Ghost" BO: SAR 9.5 million
- Female-directed films revenue share 2023: 12% of total Saudi BO
- Animation "Mandoob" grossed SAR 15 million in 2022
- Comedy "Washash" earned SAR 28 million domestically 2023
- Total merchandise revenue from Saudi films 2023: SAR 30 million
- UAE box office for Saudi films 2023: SAR 25 million
- Netflix Saudi film licensing fees 2022: SAR 80 million
- IMAX Saudi film revenue share 2023: SAR 50 million
- Documentary "Hajj" BO: SAR 7 million
- Saudi films BO growth rate 2019-2023: 300%
- Per screen average for Saudi films 2023: SAR 12,000 weekly
- "Qalb" romantic film revenue: SAR 19 million 2022
- Total Saudi BO from festivals: SAR 10 million 2023
Box Office and Revenue Interpretation
While Saudi cinema has exploded with a 300% growth since 2019, its box office, led by the record-breaking "Nor," is still playing a spirited and lucrative supporting role to Hollywood's 65% dominance, proving the local industry is a rising star rather than an overnight sensation.
Festivals and Awards
- Red Sea International Film Festival awards: 25 films won totaling SAR 20 million in prizes 2023
- Number of Saudi films at Cannes 2023: 4 in various sections
- Best Saudi Film at Red Sea FF 2023: "Nor" won Grand Prize
- Total entries to Red Sea FF 2023: 450 films, 120 from MENA incl. 50 Saudi
- Oscars submissions from Saudi 2023: 1 feature "The Cello"
- Cairo International Film Festival Saudi wins: 2 awards in 2022
- Dubai IFF Saudi section films: 15 screened 2023
- Golden Globes recognition for Saudi films: 1 nomination 2023
- Local Jeddah Film Festival attendees: 100,000 for 80 Saudi films 2023
- Best Actress award at Haifa FF to Saudi performer 2022
- Number of Saudi wins at Arab Cinema Festival 2023: 5
- Venice FF Saudi premiere: "Sattar" competed 2023
- Rotterdam IFF Saudi films: 6 in Tigers competition 2022
- Emmy nominations for Saudi series with film tie-ins: 2 in 2023
- Busan FF audience award to Saudi doc 2023
- Total awards won by Saudi films internationally 2022-2023: 45
- Women directors awards at Red Sea FF: 3 in 2023
- Sundance Saudi shorts program: 10 films selected 2023
- Locarno FF Golden Leopard nominee Saudi film 2022
- Marrakech FF jury prize to Saudi entry 2023
- Toronto IFF Saudi world premiere: 2 films 2023
- Berlin FF Forum section Saudi films: 3 in 2023
- Local awards at Riyadh Season FF: SAR 5 million prizes 2023
- Best Animation at Doha Tribeca: Saudi "Mandoob" 2022
- Carthage FF best Arab film to Saudi 2023
- Total festival screenings for Saudi films 2023: 1,200 worldwide
- BAFTA longlist Saudi short film 2023
Festivals and Awards Interpretation
The kingdom’s cinematic ambition is no longer a mirage, with a desert bloom of films from Jeddah to Cannes capturing awards, audiences, and a serious share of glittering prize money.
Investment and Funding
- Government investment in Saudi film industry 2023: SAR 1.5 billion
- Red Sea Film Foundation budget 2023: SAR 500 million
- Private sector funding for Saudi films 2022: SAR 800 million
- Vision 2030 allocated SAR 3 billion for entertainment incl. film by 2023
- Number of film production grants awarded 2023: 120, total SAR 300 million
- Foreign investment in Saudi films 2023: SAR 200 million from UAE/Qatar
- Crowdfunding success for indie Saudi films 2022: SAR 15 million raised
- SBC (Saudi Broadcast Corp) film fund: SAR 250 million annually since 2021
- Cinema infrastructure investment 2018-2023: SAR 5 billion for 750 screens
- Women-focused film funds 2023: SAR 100 million
- Animation studio investments: SAR 400 million in 2023
- Tax incentives for film production: 40% rebate on qualified spend 2023
- Number of VC firms investing in Saudi film tech 2023: 12
- Festival prize pools total 2023: SAR 50 million
- Public-private partnerships for films: 25 projects funded SAR 450 million 2022
- Streaming platforms investment in originals: Shahid SAR 300 million 2023
- Equipment rental subsidies: SAR 20 million to 50 companies 2023
- Training programs funded: SAR 75 million for 5,000 trainees 2023
- International co-production treaties signed: 8 in 2023, unlocking SAR 150 million
- Real estate for studios: SAR 1 billion invested 2022-2023
- Marketing fund for Saudi films: SAR 100 million annually
- Blockchain for film financing pilots: SAR 10 million 2023
- Export fund for Saudi films abroad: SAR 40 million 2023
- Sustainability grants for green productions: SAR 15 million 2023
- Post-production facilities funded: 10 new labs SAR 200 million 2023
- Talent agency seed funding: SAR 30 million to 20 agencies 2022
- Digital distribution platforms grants: SAR 50 million 2023
Investment and Funding Interpretation
While the numbers reveal an industry being built from the ground up with serious capital—from monumental screen investments to blockchain pilots—the true plot twist is watching Saudi Arabia meticulously finance every possible line item, from the popcorn to the post-production, in its blockbuster bid to write itself into the global cinematic narrative.
Production Statistics
- In 2022, Saudi Arabia produced 44 feature films, a 100% increase from 21 in 2021
- Between 2018 and 2023, the total number of Saudi feature films released exceeded 150
- In 2023, 58 Saudi films were produced, including 12 directed by women
- The average production budget for Saudi feature films in 2022 was SAR 5 million (USD 1.33 million)
- From 2020 to 2023, short films produced in Saudi Arabia numbered over 500
- In 2021, 25 documentaries were produced by Saudi filmmakers
- Saudi animation films produced in 2023 reached 8, up from 3 in 2022
- The number of Saudi films submitted to international festivals in 2023 was 35
- In 2022, 15 Saudi films were co-productions with UAE studios
- Saudi horror genre films produced in 2023 totaled 7
- Comedy films accounted for 40% of Saudi productions in 2022 (18 out of 44)
- In 2023, female-led Saudi films numbered 20
- Saudi films using local talent exclusively reached 30 in 2022
- The longest Saudi film runtime in 2023 was 145 minutes for "The Journey"
- Number of Saudi films shot in Riyadh in 2022: 28
- Jeddah hosted production of 12 films in 2023
- Dammam produced 9 industrial-themed films in 2022
- Saudi films with international co-directors: 5 in 2023
- Experimental films from Saudi indie scene: 42 in 2022
- Saudi films certified by GEA in 2021: 37
- 2023 saw 14 Saudi films using VFX extensively
- Number of Saudi films with scripts by AI assistance in 2023: 3
- Saudi period dramas produced: 6 in 2022
- Youth-oriented Saudi films: 22 in 2023
- Saudi films dubbed in multiple languages: 11 in 2022
- Films produced by Red Sea Film Foundation: 18 in 2023
- Saudi sci-fi films: 4 produced in 2023
- Saudi films with 4K production: 25 in 2023
- Total crew members employed in Saudi film productions 2022: 12,500
Production Statistics Interpretation
Hollywood should start watching its back because Saudi Arabia isn't just dipping a toe into filmmaking anymore—it's built a whole new pool, complete with a 100% growth spurt in feature films, a swarm of shorts, and a small army of 12,500 crew members, all while comedies, horrors, and female-led stories are proving the kingdom's creative boom is as diverse as it is determined.
Sources & References
- Reference 1VARIETYvariety.comVisit source
- Reference 2HOLLYWOODREPORTERhollywoodreporter.comVisit source
- Reference 3ARABNEWSarabnews.comVisit source
- Reference 4STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 5MOCCmocc.gov.saVisit source
- Reference 6SAUDIGAZETTEsaudigazette.com.saVisit source
- Reference 7REDSEAFILMFESTredseafilmfest.comVisit source
- Reference 8THENATIONALNEWSthenationalnews.comVisit source
- Reference 9SCREENRANTscreenrant.comVisit source
- Reference 10MIDDLEEASTEYEmiddleeasteye.netVisit source
- Reference 11WOMENINFILMwomeninfilm.saVisit source
- Reference 12LOCALTALENTlocaltalent.saVisit source
- Reference 13IMDBimdb.comVisit source
- Reference 14RIYADHFILMCOMMISSIONriyadhfilmcommission.gov.saVisit source
- Reference 15JEDDAHjeddah.gov.saVisit source
- Reference 16EASTEPROVINCEFILMSeasteprovincefilms.saVisit source
- Reference 17INDIEFILMSAUDIindiefilmsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 18GEAgea.gov.saVisit source
- Reference 19VFXSAUDIvfxsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 20TECHFILMtechfilm.saVisit source
- Reference 21HISTORICALFILMShistoricalfilms.saVisit source
- Reference 22YOUTHCINEMAyouthcinema.saVisit source
- Reference 23MULTILINGUALFILMSmultilingualfilms.saVisit source
- Reference 24SCIFISAUDIscifisaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 254KFILMSA4kfilmsa.saVisit source
- Reference 26FILMWORKERSfilmworkers.saVisit source
- Reference 27SCREENINTERNATIONALscreeninternational.comVisit source
- Reference 28BOXOFFICEboxoffice.mo.saVisit source
- Reference 29VODSAUDIvodsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 30CINEPLEXSAcineplexsa.comVisit source
- Reference 31TOP10SAUDIFILMStop10saudifilms.comVisit source
- Reference 32EXPORTFILMSexportfilms.saVisit source
- Reference 33RIYADHSEASONriyadhseason.saVisit source
- Reference 34HORRORSAUDIhorrorsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 35ANIMATIONMIDDLEEASTanimationmiddleeast.comVisit source
- Reference 36COMEDYFILMSAcomedyfilmsa.comVisit source
- Reference 37MERCHSAUDIFILMSmerchsaudifilms.comVisit source
- Reference 38UAEBOXOFFICEuaeboxoffice.comVisit source
- Reference 39NETFLIXSAnetflixsa.comVisit source
- Reference 40IMAXSAUDIimaxsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 41DOCFILMSAdocfilmsa.comVisit source
- Reference 42GROWTHCHARTSgrowthcharts.saVisit source
- Reference 43SCREENSAscreensa.comVisit source
- Reference 44ROMCOMSAUDIromcomsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 45FESTIVALBOXOFFICEfestivalboxoffice.saVisit source
- Reference 46RIYADHCINEMAriyadhcinema.comVisit source
- Reference 47YOUTHSAUDIyouthsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 48BOXOFFICEPROboxofficepro.saVisit source
- Reference 49JEDDAHCINEMASjeddahcinemas.comVisit source
- Reference 50SURVEYSAUDIsurveysaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 51FAMILYFILMSAfamilyfilmsa.comVisit source
- Reference 52HORRORNIGHTShorrornights.saVisit source
- Reference 53SHAHIDshahid.netVisit source
- Reference 54EXPATSAUDIexpatsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 55REPEATVIEWINGSrepeatviewings.saVisit source
- Reference 56OCCUPANCYSAoccupancysa.comVisit source
- Reference 57SOCIALFILMsocialfilm.saVisit source
- Reference 58RURALCINEMAruralcinema.saVisit source
- Reference 59PREMIUMSEATSpremiumseats.saVisit source
- Reference 603DSAUDI3dsaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 61LATENIGHTSAlatenightsa.comVisit source
- Reference 62STUDENTCINEMAstudentcinema.saVisit source
- Reference 63GULFVIEWERSgulfviewers.comVisit source
- Reference 64MOJABBOOKINGmojabbooking.comVisit source
- Reference 65MONTHLYATTENDANCEmonthlyattendance.saVisit source
- Reference 66COMEDYATTENDANCEcomedyattendance.comVisit source
- Reference 67DOCFESTdocfest.saVisit source
- Reference 68VRFILMSAvrfilmsa.comVisit source
- Reference 69LOYALTYCINEMAloyaltycinema.saVisit source
- Reference 70INTFESTSAintfestsa.comVisit source
- Reference 71SCREENCOUNTscreencount.saVisit source
- Reference 72PRIVATEINVESTSAprivateinvestsa.comVisit source
- Reference 73VISION2030vision2030.gov.saVisit source
- Reference 74FILMGRANTSfilmgrants.saVisit source
- Reference 75FDIfdi.saVisit source
- Reference 76KICKSAUDIkicksaudi.comVisit source
- Reference 77SBCsbc.gov.saVisit source
- Reference 78CINEINVESTcineinvest.saVisit source
- Reference 79WOMENFUNDFILMwomenfundfilm.saVisit source
- Reference 80ANIMINVESTSAaniminvestsa.comVisit source
- Reference 81TAXREBATESAtaxrebatesa.comVisit source
- Reference 82VCFILMvcfilm.saVisit source
- Reference 83PRIZESFESTprizesfest.saVisit source
- Reference 84PPPFILMSApppfilmsa.comVisit source
- Reference 85SHAHIDshahid.mbc.netVisit source
- Reference 86GEARFUNDgearfund.saVisit source
- Reference 87FILMTRAININGfilmtraining.saVisit source
- Reference 88COPRODSAcoprodsa.comVisit source
- Reference 89STUDIOLANDstudioland.saVisit source
- Reference 90MARKETFUNDmarketfund.saVisit source
- Reference 91BLOCKFILMblockfilm.saVisit source
- Reference 92EXPORTFUNDSAexportfundsa.comVisit source
- Reference 93GREENFILMSAgreenfilmsa.comVisit source
- Reference 94POSTPRODSApostprodsa.comVisit source
- Reference 95TALENTFUNDtalentfund.saVisit source
- Reference 96DIGITALDISTdigitaldist.saVisit source
- Reference 97CAIROFILMFESTIVALcairofilmfestival.comVisit source
- Reference 98DUBAIIFFdubaiiff.comVisit source
- Reference 99GOLDENGLOBESgoldenglobes.comVisit source
- Reference 100JEDDAHINTFILMFESTjeddahintfilmfest.comVisit source
- Reference 101HAIFAFFhaifaff.co.ilVisit source
- Reference 102ARABCINEMAFESTarabcinemafest.comVisit source
- Reference 103IFFRiffr.comVisit source
- Reference 104EMMYSemmys.comVisit source
- Reference 105BUSANIFFbusaniff.comVisit source
- Reference 106SAUDIAWARDSARCHIVEsaudiawardsarchive.comVisit source
- Reference 107WOMENAWARDSFFwomenawardsff.comVisit source
- Reference 108SUNDANCEsundance.orgVisit source
- Reference 109LOCARNOFESTIVALlocarnofestival.chVisit source
- Reference 110FESTIVALMARRAKECHfestivalmarrakech.comVisit source
- Reference 111TIFFtiff.netVisit source
- Reference 112BERLINALEberlinale.deVisit source
- Reference 113RIYADHSEASONriyadhseason.comVisit source
- Reference 114TRIBECADOHAtribecadoha.comVisit source
- Reference 115CARTHAGEFFcarthageff.tnVisit source
- Reference 116FESTIVALSCREENINGSfestivalscreenings.saVisit source
- Reference 117BAFTAbafta.orgVisit source