‘For film, Saudi Arabia is the land of opportunity,’ says Saudi producer Mohammed Al-Turki

DUBAI: When Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year ban on cinemas nearly three years ago, a love affair with film was not born on that day — it was validated. Before Saudi became the only theatrical market to grow in the time of COVID-19, before its shooting locations became the talk of the filmmaking world, the Kingdom had long been home to some of the most passionate film buffs in the world, who watched films on MBC 2 day and night, who traded VHS tapes of new releases, and who, if they wanted to pursue that passion, had one choice: To make a name for themselves in Hollywood.