United Arab Emirates Leads the Way in West Asia in Luring Foreign Shoots

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Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe United Arab Emirates has announced the addition of a new over-21 age classification to its motion picture rating system that could become a milestone in moving the needle against censorship across West Asia. The new rating will allow uncut versions of international movies to be shown in UAE cinemas, though details remain vague.The UAE’s Media Regulatory Office made the announcement Monday on Twitter, specifying that the new rating for films

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentSince Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year-old religion-related ban on cinema in 2017, the kingdom has experienced a boom in all aspects of film industry activity, recently becoming West Asia’s top-grossing territory in terms of theatrical box office returns.

Twitter post.Censors in the UAE, like elsewhere in the Middle East, have long removed scenes in cinematic releases that show nudity, homosexuality, sex and other content deemed inappropriate — sometimes leading to plot holes.Foreigners outnumber locals nearly nine to one in the federation of seven sheikhdoms.

Charlie Amter Earlier this week, the inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia’s XP Music Conference took place over three days and nights in Riyadh, drawing hundreds of music industry professionals and artists from around the Persian Gulf and beyond.The event was sponsored by the Saudi government as it seeks to open itself up to more opportunities in the music industry — such as Justin Bieber’s recent concert in the country — amid both international criticism over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and a

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentProminent Arab world broadcaster MBC is ramping up film and TV production in Saudi Arabia, where a slew of high-end projects in the pipeline is set to join U.S.

Saudi Arabia’s nascent film industry is in the spotlight this week thanks to the inaugural edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, which runs until December 15.

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Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAs Saudi Arabia diversifies from an oil-based economy, the kingdom is pinning a significant portion of its hopes of becoming a major media industry hub on NEOM, a futuristic megacity in-the-making.It is where the $100 million seventh century actioner “Desert Warrior,” featuring an all-star international cast led by “Captain America” star Anthony Mackie, is currently shooting.Situated along the kingdom’s Red Sea coast in Tabuk, in the northwest of the

Mega-budget epic Desert Warrior, starring Anthony Mackie and Aiysha Hart, has been a big talking point here in Jeddah this week as it nears wrapping production in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk. The $150M 7th Century-set action title marks not only the biggest production to shoot in the KSA since it lifted its ban on cinemas four years ago but it also represents a major collaboration between creative and financial models in the region and Hollywood talent.

Since Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year-old religion related ban on cinema in 2017, the country has been ramping up its efforts to attract local and international productions to come and shoot in the region. Film AlUla is playing a major part in the government’s Vision 3030 plan to modernize the country.

Saudi Arabian production and finance outfit Telfaz11 is planning to expand its ability to finance film and TV content after securing a multi-million-dollar funding round.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAs the spread of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant prompts uncertainty around how the winter film festival calendar will play out, two events in the Arab world — the Cairo Film Festival and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea fest — have soldiered on, providing a measure of hope for the global festival circuit.Cairo, which kicked off Nov.

according to The Wrap. The movie was initially targeted to open in Saudi Arabia on Dec.

Musical fans in the Gulf states won’t be getting to see the new “West Side Story”.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterSome audiences in the Middle East won’t get to experience the epic love story between Maria and Tony.Disney and 20th Century’s “West Side Story,” director Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the classic musical, has been banned in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. In some cases, like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the film wasn’t granted a release certificate.

Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” will not screen in the Middle East nations of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as other countries, TheWrap has confirmed. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait both did not grant the film a release certificate, while local censors in Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had requested cuts that Disney and 20th Century Studios opted not to make, an individual with knowledge said, and the film will not be released to those markets.

A film festival is about more than just the films and the festival center. It is about the location, the journey, the experience. Here on Deadline we’ll be bringing you updates on what it’s like to be on the ground at the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival, Saudi Arabia’s first ever film festival. 

Disney/20th Century Studios’ West Side Story is due to begin international box office rollout on Wednesday this week, but it will not be heading to movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar or the UAE, Deadline has learned. While an official reason has not been made public, the situation is believed to be related to the character called Anybodys.

Telfaz11, the Saudi Arabian production and finance company, has struck a deal to acquire Riyadh-based producer Last Scene Films.