International Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Ambitious Quest to Modernize Saudi Arabia

[Arkain2K]

I wonder if the theaters will be segregated by gender.

That will depends on whether the female audience still needs a male chaperone.

I've always find new development towards much-needed modernization in these backwater societies to be fascinating, the same way you see a child finally growing up after being stuck in a time-dilation field that separated them from the rest of the space-time continuum.

 

[VivaRevolution]

That will depends on whether the female audience still needs a male chaperone.

I've always find new development towards much-needed modernization in these backwater societies to be fascinating, the same way you see a child finally growing up after being stuck in a time-dilation field that separated them from the rest of the space-time continuum.

Star Trek nerd.

#metoo

 

[Arkain2K]

Op/Ed: Saudi cinemas go back to the future
Maha Akeel | Saturday 16 December 2017

Saudi women attend the 'Short Film Competition 2' festival, a precursor to the expected lift on the kingdom's ban on cinemas.​

We usually say that we do not want to go backwards, we need to move forward. But in some cases in Saudi Arabia we are going back to where we stopped more than three decades ago, so that we can move forward and catch up.

After being banned for nearly 35 years, cinema is coming back to Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Culture and Information will license commercial cinemas to operate as early as 2018. The announcement is part of the Vision 2030 social and economic reform program, which is being implemented with high speed and great determination.

This is another blow to the conservative camp after the announcement that women will be permitted to drive by June 2018. For that sector of society, cinemas and other forms of entertainment such as music and singing are a sin, or lead to immoral behavior. They reject even radio and television, not to mention satellite dishes, which were not permitted even though the law was rarely enforced.

The ministry said opening cinemas would “act as a catalyst for economic growth and diversification; by developing the broader cultural sector we will create new employment and training opportunities, as well as enriching the Kingdom’s entertainment options.”

For sure, opening cinemas will create jobs, and it is a new market and a lucrative investment opportunity. However, the move should not be limited to opening movie theaters — we should establish a cinema industry with film schools, studios, production companies and training facilities to make movies rather than just show them.

As for creating local entertainment options, this is a welcome development for the large youth and family segments of society who are thirsty for other forms of leisure activity besides going to malls and restaurants. Rather then hopping over to neighboring countries for the weekend, mainly to see movies, they can better spend their time and money here, as long as the prices are affordable for all segments of society. The success of the music and song concerts this year are a testimony to how eager and happy Saudis are with this new zest for life.

Culturally, I have always believed that movies open a window into the life and society of countries. Most of us have a perception or impression about other countries from what we see in their movies, even if it is not a true reflection or an accurate portrayal because, after all, movies are make-believe; but they are still part of a country’s image.

Saudi Arabia has an image problem because people outside rarely see anything about our society and culture except the negative aspects often reported in the news. I am not saying the negative perception is not based on some facts, such as the ban on women driving, but for the most part they are based on incomplete and second-hand information because we were not able to tell our own stories. In my interaction with foreigners visiting Saudi Arabia, especially women, they always say it is not as bad as they thought or expected it to be.

Seeing is believing, even if it is through the lens of a camera, and rather then allow others to portray us through their lens, we should be the ones showing Saudi Arabia to the world. The enthusiasm with which the Saudi films Wadjda and Barakah Yoqabil Barakah were greeted worldwide illustrate how we can tell our stories better then others can. We have a rich and diverse culture, society and history from which many stories can be scripted and directed for cinema. We already have the talent who found open doors abroad to showcase their creations and receive recognition. More talents will be discovered in the right environment.

Finally, it remains to be seen what restrictions, if any, there will be on the seating of men and women inside the movie theaters, as well as the type of movies that will be screened and the level of censorship. Hopefully, people with their different backgrounds and mentalities will deal with this new change with responsibility and appreciation.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1210246

 

[Arkain2K]

IMAX is ‘close’ to striking a deal to open movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, CEO says
Shaheen Sattar | 14 Dec 2017

IMAX is pursuing a scale-up of movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, the cinema technology firm's CEO said Tuesday.

Richard Gelfond told CNBC that IMAX hopes to operate up to 20 theaters in the conservative country within three years, after a ban on cinemas that had been in place for 35 years was lifted on Monday.

"We've heard rumblings for the past year that this was going to happen. We've actually been in preliminary negotiations with a number of cinema operators, who have clients, to go into Saudi Arabia," Gelfond said.

"We're close to announcing a deal, which we're hoping to announce at the end of this year. For the size of this market, there's a big opportunity. We could have 15 to 20 theatres over the next three years in Saudi Arabia and open the first one in 2018."

The ban on movie theaters was put in place in the early 1980s following the 1979 Grand Mosque Seizure that gave religious clerics a powerful hold on the country.

IMAX, alongside U.S. cinema giant AMC Entertainment Holdings, expects to significantly permeate Saudi Arabia's movie theater industry in the coming years.

Saudi Arabia was ranked 10/10 in the Big Spenders Index 2015 for expenditure on luxury imported items, and therefore is an ideal market for IMAX to open in, Gelfond said.

"Since the market is not that price sensitive, and likes premium luxury goods, this will be a strong market for IMAX," he said.

Prince Muhammad bin Salman's introduction of social and economic reforms in Saudi Arabia, under the Vision 2030 banner, aims to diversify a dipped local economy following a drop in oil prices.

Following the repeal announcement Monday on Saudi state television, Information Minister Awwad Alawwad said it was a "watershed moment in the development of the economy in the Kingdom."

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/14/ima...l-to-open-movie-theaters-in-saudi-arabia.html

 

[Hoof Hearted]

Imagine if the USA took corruption seriously?

That's not taking corruption that seriously. Throwing him in jail for a few years AND taking all the money he earned from corruption would be taking it seriously. If he made more than $1 billion due to corrupt deals, then he's paying a fee not a fine and it's not really justice served.

 

[Fluffernutter]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-...-was-mystery-buyer-300-million-french-chateau

According to the New York Times, when it was purchased for $300 million two years ago, the Chateau Louis XIV, a mansion located just outside Paris, was billed as the most expensive home ever sold.

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[senri]

That will depends on whether the female audience still needs a male chaperone.

I've always find new development towards much-needed modernization in these backwater societies to be fascinating, the same way you see a child finally growing up after being stuck in a time-dilation field that separated them from the rest of the space-time continuum.

This is quite a delicious post Mr Arkain....

 

[Zankou]

Insane!

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/...tion=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

 

[Rozko]

So what is the over under on the first Cinema of Peace event? I got 3 months.

 

[danny23]

The Saudi prince's corruption campaign sounded more like eliminating political and family rivals and any opposition for him in the future.

 

[computer fogie]

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A young prince is reimagining Saudi Arabia. Can he make his vision come true?
By David Ignatius | April 20, 2017

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...3d79a4-2549-11e7-b503-9d616bd5a305_story.html

You should probably provide some kind of comment or talking point when you make a new thread, especially when you make as many threads as you do (8 on the first page of the forum atm). Otherwise, it's just reposting, copy/pasting.

 

[tramendous]

The Saudi prince's corruption campaign sounded more like eliminating political and family rivals and any opposition for him in the future.

Thats often the same when it comes to eliminating corruption in those countries, centralising power to the person in charge of the government. Having 'political rival' to the head of state in a country where only 1 party is allowed is by definition corruption.

 

[danny23]

Thats often the same when it comes to eliminating corruption in those countries, centralising power to the person in charge of the government. Having 'political rival' to the head of state in a country where only 1 party is allowed is by definition corruption.

Yeah about that, he's not even in full power yet but he's still cleaning house. He came in to his position of crown prince after someone else was removed, after he was pulling the strings in the back. So he's very determined to remove any future opposition under the false premise of "corruption" when he actually gets hold of it.

There could be actual corruption he'll be willing to ignore as long as those individuals aren't a threat and do his bidding. Whereas he'll prosecute those who could be innocent but not seeing eye to eye with him.

 

[Arkain2K]

You should probably provide some kind of comment or talking point when you make a new thread, especially when you make as many threads as you do (8 on the first page of the forum atm). Otherwise, it's just reposting, copy/pasting.

@Madmick @Lead @Limbo Pete @panamaican @Ruprecht Is this guy actually seriously trying to teach me how to create and maintain my mega-threads?

 

[tramendous]

Yeah about that, he's not even in full power yet but he's still cleaning house. He came in to his position of crown prince after someone else was removed, after he was pulling the strings in the back. So he's very determined to remove any future opposition under the false premise of "corruption" when he actually gets hold of it.

There could be actual corruption he'll be willing to ignore as long as those individuals aren't a threat and do his bidding. Whereas he'll prosecute those who could be innocent but not seeing eye to eye with him.

Thats the way things work there. If i were to for example become president of afghanistan and i had the means to clean house, its exactly what i would do. There are so many political rivals in afghanistan that the government is basically paralyzed. He is already the designated heir so it makes sense.