Minister of Culture and Information and Chairman of the General Authority for Audiovisual Media Dr. Awad bin Saleh Al-Awad here on Wednesday inaugurated the first cinema in the kingdom in the presence of prominent local and international figures in the film industry and the media. Dr. Al-Awad said, "We are all happy on this historic day as it is witnessing the screening of the first cinema film in the Kingdom, in a complex equipped with all the techniques and equipment that provide pleasure for the family, pointing out that what is achieved today is the result of a joint effort thanks to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Citizens and expatriates will see more showrooms that offer new entertainment options in all regions of the Kingdom. "This is a true beginning for the development of the entertainment sector in general and the film industry in particular," he said. "It is not only a leisure initiative, it is an economic stimulus and a catalyst for growth and diversity of economy. He added that cinema in the Kingdom will be a full-fledged industry, supported by distinguished cadres, huge potentials and a broad public base that will be accompanied by rich content and strong production with which the Kingdom will enter the international film market, in addition to the positive implications that include cultural, artistic and developmental axes with providing various job opportunities in this industry according to vision 2030. The Minister of Culture and Information pointed out that this event will be a real beginning for the development of the entertainment sector in general and the film industry in particular in order to promote cultural and media work by supporting recreational activities as well as stimulating growth and economic diversification. For his part, Rida Bin Mohammed Al Haidar, CEO of the Audiovisual Media Authority said that the film sector will be an important contributor to the objectives of the National Transformation Program and the ambitious vision of the Kingdom by establishing a Saudi media environment capable of developing the industry in the media. Al-Haidar said that the Authority is working to organize and develop the media sector in the Kingdom to become a strategic and investment tributary of the national economy, in addition to rehabilitating and supporting the local Saudi environment and presenting it to the world. In the 600-seat auditorium, a special screening of Black Panther, one of Hollywood's most famous films, produced 2018. Three more film screens are scheduled to be inaugurated in the third quarter of 2018 at the King Abdullah Financial Center, a move that reflects the start of the partnership, which is expected to see the opening of 40 AMC cinemas across the Kingdom over the next five years.
