A Spotlight on Saudi Cinema
Since theater screens lit up again in 2018, Saudi Arabia's film industry has grown into a national conversation about identity, craft, and the power of storytelling. At the heart of that momentum stands Saudi Film Confex, a flagship gathering created by the Film Commission under the Ministry of Culture to connect artists, producers, educators, investors, and policy-makers. After a strong second edition in 2024 that drew tens of thousands and catalyzed new deals, the Confex returns with bigger ambitions in 2025, placing Saudi stories squarely at center stage.
When and Where: Confex 2025 in Riyadh
Scheduled for October 22–25, 2025, in Riyadh, this third edition of the Saudi Film Confex marks a new chapter in the Kingdom’s cinematic journey. Building directly on the measurable success of the 2024 edition, which drew tens of thousands of attendees and resulted in more than two dozen agreements worth hundreds of millions of riyals, the 2025 Confex enters the scene with greater momentum, a stronger market foundation, and heightened international visibility.
Featured Speakers & Perspectives
Leaders shaping the ecosystem, Adnan Kayal (Big Time Fund), Majed Al Haqil (Cultural Development Fund), Dr. Abdullah Al-Moghlouth (Assistant Minister of Information), Abdullah Al-Qahtani (Saudi Film Commission), and cultural figures Prince Turki Al-Faisal and Turki Al-Sheikh (General Entertainment Authority), anchor the policy, finance, and industry conversation this year.
Headliners for the featured talks also include Johnny Depp and Will Smith, who will share career reflections and their viewpoints on filmmaking and the future of cinema.
Celebrating Local Stories and Voices
Saudi Film Confex is, first and foremost, a stage for Saudi voices. Filmmakers from Jazan to AlUla, stories in Arabic dialects and in universal cinematic language. The past two years proved how far those voices can travel. In May 2024, “Norah” by Tawfik Alzaidi became the first Saudi feature selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and received a Special Mention, an inflection point for the Kingdom’s creative ambitions. Expect 2025 programming to harness that momentum by showcasing local narratives shaped by Saudi places, people, and memory.
The Confex’s curatorial ethos favors authenticity and craft. Panels and showcases typically spotlight themes like:
- Regional identity on screen: from the Hijazi alleyways to the Asiri highlands.
- Women’s perspectives: stories led by female directors, writers, and producers.
- Heritage in contemporary form: how folk music, architecture, and oral histories inform visual storytelling.
These threads align with the Film Commission’s broader cultural strategy and the Confex’s track record of honoring both place-based narratives and globally resonant themes.
Panels, Workshops, and Masterclasses
Education sits at the core of the Saudi Film Confex 2025's programming. Across four days, attendees can expect:
- Story labs and script clinics led by regional and international mentors, with an emphasis on character-driven writing and world-building.
- Production deep dives on scheduling, location management in Saudi landscapes, and post-production pipelines.
- Financing and incentives briefings explaining grant programs, rebates, and co-financing structures active in the Kingdom.
- Distribution and marketing sessions on festival strategy, regional OTT deals, and theatrical windows.
- Curated exhibition: 120+ organizations across production, post, tech, education, streaming, and government
- International conference: 30+ panels
- Hands-on workshops led by regional and global experts
- Talent auditions / casting opportunities
- Competitions
- Deal-signing scene
The Film Commission’s 2024 report highlights how Saudi productions are scaling: 17.5 million cinema tickets were sold in 2024; infrastructure grew to 64 cinema locations (630 screens), and 17 studios operate nationwide, context that informs every technical workshop at the Confex.
Saudi Film Confex: Bridging Art and Industry
Confex is where creative vision meets market reality. On one side: screenings, showcases, and artist talks. On the other: co-production forums, finance tracks, and policy dialogues designed to unlock practical pathways for Saudi and international partners. That balance produced results in 2024—24 agreements valued at SAR 226 million, and sets the tone for larger deal-flow in 2025.
Expect stakeholders to convene around:
- Co-production frameworks connecting Saudi producers with MENA, European, and Asian partners.
- Incentive alignment between the Film Commission and allied entities (festivals, funds, and regional authorities).
- Skills pipelines linking training programs to real employment on sets and in post facilities.
The Confex’s mission explicitly supports Vision 2030’s cultural economy goals, growing the sector while safeguarding cultural integrity.
Networking and Collaboration Opportunities
A major value of Confex is how it organizes chance encounters into structured opportunity. Attendees typically find:
- Curated matchmaking between producers, financiers, and service providers.
- Pitch platforms for features, shorts, and series, coached by market advisors.
- Mentorship circles linking emerging talent with industry veterans.
- An expanded Business Hub where MOUs and service agreements can be finalized on-site.
The Global Reach of Saudi Stories
Saudi films are moving through international circuits with growing confidence. Beyond "Norah” at Cannes, the Film Commission notes 50 international awards for Saudi films in 2024 and a pipeline strengthened by festival platforms like the Red Sea International Film Festival and global sales partnerships. Confex 2025 will amplify these connections, facilitating meetings with programmers, sales agents, and streamers seeking distinct voices from the Kingdom.
Co-productions and cross-border shoots increasingly use Saudi locations, from the volcanic fields of Harrat Khaybar to the sandstone valleys of AlUla, leveraging credibility built by international crews who have already filmed in the country. Confex becomes the annual checkpoint where those collaborations are initiated, renewed, or expanded.
Why 2025 is a Milestone Year
Three elements set Confex 2025 apart:
- Proven impact to build on. Last year’s measurable outcomes (70,000 visitors and SAR 226 million in deals) raise the bar for what a single cultural convening can deliver. This edition starts from strength.
- A clear, forward-leaning theme. “A Gathering That Transforms the Scene” frames the program not as a showcase, but as a catalyst for sustained industry change.
- Global attention on Saudi craft. With landmark festival moments in 2024 and active calls for Oscar submissions in 2025, international eyes are on what Saudi storytellers do next, making Riyadh in late October a must-attend stop for decision-makers.
70,000 visitors to Confex.
24 agreements signed, worth SAR 226 million.
50 awards for Saudi films at international festivals.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Saudi Cinema
The future of Saudi cinema rests on two complementary pillars: stronger industry architecture and fearless local storytelling. Saudi Film Confex 2025 accelerates both. By convening the people who write, direct, finance, staff, and distribute films, it turns policy and possibility into practical next steps, training that leads to jobs, ideas that become scripts, scripts that become productions.
As audiences gather in Riyadh from October 22–25, 2025, one conviction frames the days ahead: Saudi stories are not just ready, but necessary. Necessary for how communities see themselves, and how the world comes to understand a culture in motion.
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