Many Saudis travel to Dubai and Bahrain over the weekend or during holidays to watch the latest movies. — Courtesy photo Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette Eid has passed and gone with it is all its excitement and merriment. Among the Eid festivities that drew huge crowds of families were the public stage plays performed in major cities of the Kingdom by Saudi actors and actresses who entertained and sent a message to the society. The youth and adults alike immensely enjoyed such shows and due to the success of these plays, many are now demanding more such plays to be held all year round, instead of just being limited to festivals. They are also looking forward to the establishment of cinema houses in the Kingdom. However, there is much reluctance on the part of the government to open cinemas in the Kingdom despite the Saudi society being ready to accept such a radical change. With a wise selection of movies and segregation of male and female theaters, the proponents state that having cinema houses here would promote creativity and encourage local film makers to produce appropriate materials and documentaries aimed at spreading awareness of a host of important issues. It can be used as an educational tool and a safe venue for having good family fun. The opinions on both sides of the argument should be heard, respected, appreciated, and taken into consideration by policy makers. “Lots of my friends are into watching movies. I think that if the cinema is supervised and there is strict control over the movies screened, a lot of young men would probably leave the coffee shops and Internet cafes. Watching an inspirational movie with a bunch of friends is better than walking around doing nothing in shopping malls," said Ahmad Al-Droubi, a 12 grader. A working mother of two children, Lema Qarqanawi, supports the idea of opening theater houses in the Kingdom. “I just got back from my holiday in Dubai where I enjoyed seeing a family movie with my husband and young children. I think going to the movies would give families something to do as a unit and would bring them closer. These days even when we are sitting together in the same room, each person is absorbed in his/her own mobile phone or electronic gadget and we rarely engage with one another in lively and meaningful conversation. Watching a good movie would help open discussions in the family, give us something to talk about, help us explore our own feelings and experiences, and would make way to a common interest that we could all share as a family." Yet others warn that the decision makers of the country should proceed with caution and should not rush into such projects without thoroughly studying the effects that the cinema will have on the society — and they must also implement ways to exercise control over the types of movies that will be shown. Nabila Fawzi is a social worker with over 18 years of experience in working as a family and marriage counselor in the Kingdom. Fawzi's main concern lies behind the hidden reasons of opening cinema houses. In her opinion, the goal of showing public movies should not be economic gain and profit, stripped of moral and social responsibility. “Building cinemas in the Kingdom could be a positive move. If the theater houses are segregated the result of this big step would strongly depend on the quality of films showed. Before reaching the screens, the movies should be closely studied and inspected. Movies that promote aggression, violence, misconduct, and promiscuity should not be shown. Western movies that show negative and provocative scenes and would exacerbate social problems that already exist in the Kingdom should not be screened," said Fawzi. Previous reports revealed that around 230,000 tourists from Saudi Arabia visited the United Arab Emirates in the summer of 2010 to watch movies. Many Saudis living in the Eastern Province travel to Bahrain over the weekends to catch the latest American films on the big screen. Columnist Abdullah Al-Qabi told a local daily, “The opening of movie theaters will end incidents of extremism, instill openness toward the other, introduce public to art, and create investment opportunities and jobs for unemployed youth. We hope to view Saudi films, dramas, documentaries, and animation films." Abeer, a Saudi businesswoman and the founder of a non-profit charity organization in Jeddah. She is against the idea of having cinemas in the Kingdom because it is also a form of distraction and the youth will waste their time in going to watch movies instead of doing something substantial. “Whether it is watching a movie at home or going to the cinema, it is still a waste of time. The young men and women in the Kingdom are not in need of additional means of entertainment and recreation. They should not be encouraged to throw away precious hours. “Our youth should be encouraged to read more, learn about their religion, and should be trained to work hard, serve others, volunteer, participate actively for social and educational causes. They should be taught important skills that will make them productive members of the society," said Abeer.
