CANNES: At a special VIP breakfast on the sidelines of the 71st Cannes Film Festival at the Carlton Hotel, Ahmad Al-Maziad, CEO, General Culture Authority of Saudi Arabia, announced that Saudi Arabia is “open for business” to the global film industry with a number of initiatives.
Maziad announced a rebate program of a minimum of 35 per cent for foreign productions filming in Saudi Arabia. “We’re developing guidelines on how to get even higher than 35 per cent. That will be for all spend used and consumed in Saudi Arabia,” said Maziad.
In addition, Maziad announced that the General Culture Authority will be “funding 50 per cent of all money spent on Saudi talent.”
“We believe the combination of the two make us the most attractive incentive program in the world,” said Maziad. “This extends from film to documentaries, animation, scripted programs and much more. Putting a handsome rebate on local talent is about developing the local talent in Saudi. We believe that the more local talent used with global film crews will help them develop faster. We’re welcoming the best in the world to come shoot in Saudi, which will expedite the use of local talent beyond what we have today.”
Maziad promised that more details will be shared on the General Culture Authority's website within the next few weeks, including the criteria, guidelines for application and other issues. The General Culture Authority will also be developing training programs, in conjunction with the University of Southern California, as well as with French partners as well, complete with scholarship programs for Saudi nationals.
“Details will be shared on our website in the next few weeks. The criteria, the application, everything will be shared. This is one aspect that aims to attract international filmmaking to come to Saudi.”
Maziad also announced a national grant program “aimed at developing Saudi talent to help them produce movies in Saudi.”
“The other aspect is for Saudi filmmakers. We're happy to announce a national grant program aimed at developing Saudi talent to help them produce movies in Saudi, the details of which will be shared shortly on our website.”
Details on partners and content guidelines will also be announced in the coming weeks, Maziad promised.
“Every country has its own content guidelines. We're developing a content guideline and it will be shared. We're developing based on what will be acceptable in the society. Already there are women wearing western dresses within Saudi. In terms of censorship and content guidelines, we will also be publishing them within the next few weeks. The guidelines are derived from what is accepted in the society. The content guidelines are also evolving guidelines: they are not stagnant. They will evolve as the society changes and evolves. What was not accepted two years ago is accepted now.”
0 التعليقات:
إرسال تعليق