Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global filmmaking hub is facing headwinds, and not just because of one recent high-profile flop. The kingdom last month raised production rebates to as much as 60% — among the most generous in the world — to attract filmmakers to its coastlines, deserts, mountains, and rapidly transforming cities. But producers say collecting those funds can be difficult, and confusion about the process has slowed the industry’s development. One producer launched a Saudi-based company to help foreign studios navigate the system and get paid, according to a report in Puck.
Film production is unlikely to become a pillar of the Saudi economy, but it supports a broader entertainment strategy spanning cinemas, streaming, gaming, and media, as well as creating desirable jobs, and helping to burnish the kingdom’s international image. There will be some takers, given the incentives, but for the industry to flourish the government will need to make the business of show business easier.