Saudi Film Commission launches first International Film Criticism Conference

The Saudi Film Commission, the government body that supports and regulates the kingdom's film sector, organised the first International Film Criticism Conference in Riyadh in 2023. It was the first event of its kind held in Saudi Arabia and was built around the craft of film criticism rather than film production or screenings alone.

The conference followed a series of regional critics' forums held in several Saudi cities earlier in the year, which led up to the main gathering in the capital. The programme brought together critics, filmmakers and academics from the Arab world and beyond for panel discussions, workshops and screenings on how films are analysed and discussed.

The event mattered because it fitted the wider growth of Saudi cinema, which gained momentum after commercial cinemas reopened in 2018 after a ban of about 35 years. Organisers presented criticism as a necessary part of a healthy film industry, helping audiences and filmmakers engage with new work. The conference later became a recurring event in Riyadh, which is why its debate about the future of criticism, including the role of artificial intelligence, continues to attract attention.