Will movies follow Yanni, Comic Con in Saudi 'fun' drive?

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Saudi Arabia, long dreaded for its lack of entertainment options, is going to be a fun place in times to come as the winds of reform sweep through its socio-cultural paradigm.

The ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom, where most common forms of entertainment such as musical concerts and movies were forbidden under the strict religious codes till recently, is swiftly embracing performing arts and showbiz in myriad ways, raising the possibility of cinema making an entry in the country soon.

Yanni: Witnessing history in the making

Legendary Greek composer Yanni arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday in what is being dubbed as a "historic tour" where he will perform in four concerts beginning Thursday – in the Red Sea City of Jeddah on November 30 and December 1; and in capital Riyadh on December 3 and 4.

Tickets have sold out to all the four shows, which will be open to both men and women, but not children under 10, according to local media reports. One venue in Riyadh was changed to accommodate more spectators, reported Dubai’s leading daily Gulf News.

The concert is being organized by the kingdom's General Entertainment Authority (GEA), which was set up last year with an aim to provide more avenues of entertainment to Saudi citizens and residents under Vision 2030, a reform plan that is spearheaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Yanni is mindful of the significance of this tour. “Yanni in Saudi Arabia (KSA): Witnessing history in the making! On the plane with my daughter @krystalann. The incredible journey begins!” he tweeted just ahead of arriving in the kingdom.

In a video earlier, the maestro said his daughter Krystal Ann, who manages his social media, made a conscious decision to visit Saudi Arabia, a country which has had a rather poor track record on gender equality but is gradually relaxing its rigid religious policies to grant more rights to women. Earlier this year, a driving ban on women was revoked in a sign of such positive transformation.

“I did not make her come with me. She already knows how important and how incredible [a] time this is [in Saudi Arabia]. She understands it very well and she wouldn't miss it for anything in the world either. I guess the apple doesn't fall very far from the apple tree... This is going to be an incredible journey,” Yanni said.

After landing in Jeddah, the Greek pianist posted a short video clip showing him to be joking with Saudi journalists.

Yanni is the latest in the growing list of international artists performing in the kingdom in recent times, including US Country singer Toby Keith who performed at a men-only concert in Riyadh this May and American rapper Nelly, who will appear in another men-only show alongside Arabic pop-star Cheb Khalid from Algeria, in Jeddah on December 14.

Among other upcoming performances, legendary Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu performs in Jeddah on December 8 and Iraqi signing superstar Kathem Al-Saher will have a show in the port city on December 28 and in Riyadh the following day, according to GEA’s entertainment calendar Roznamah.sa. Emirati singer Balqees has a concert at a Jeddah hotel on November 29.

'Happy to sing in my homeland'

Saudi singers Rabeh Sager and Mohammed Abdu. /Wikimedia Commons and AFP Photo

Earlier this February, Saudi singer Rabeh Sager nearly broke down after performing alongside Mohammed Abdu and Iraqi-Saudi singer Majid Al-Muhadnis in front of 6,000 music lover in Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City. “I am very happy to sing in my homeland,” Sager said, adding, “Please don’t make me cry.”

Live concerts were customarily held during summer festivals in Jeddah previously but were completely banned for over seven years. The performances are being revived by the GEA as per the kingdom’s Vision 2030.

There’s a substantial thrust on entertainment in the reform plan which “mandates building of a vibrant society in which Saudi youth are seen as a key driver of the change,” according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information’s Center for International Communication (CIS).

Comic Con makes Riyadh debut

The international convention, Comic Con, which debuted in Riyadh from November 23 to 25, was the second event to be held in Saudi Arabia. /Photo via the Center for International Communication, Saudi Arabia

In yet another sign of this renewed push for entertainment, Comic Con was held for the first time in the Saudi capital last week, following the debut event of the international entertainment and comic convention in Jeddah in February this year.

“Organized at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event brought together creators, experts, artists and celebrities, including stars of some of the most popular movies and television shows such as Big Bang Theory, Game of Thrones, Lost Girl and Underworld: Awakenings, who travelled all the way from different parts of the world to meet their growing number of fans in the country,” a CIC press release said.

The event drew in droves comic enthusiasts – both men and women – of all ages, many of whom seized the opportunity to get up close and personal with their favorite superheroes and take pictures with them donning superhero-themed costumes.

“I’m thrilled to be here with my children to meet and take photographs with their favorite star Jason Momoa,” Arab News quoted an unnamed Saudi father who attended the Comic Con with his son Saud, 8, and daughter Sarah, 11.

Movie night, a precursor of lifting ban on cinemas

Saudis attend a screening of short films at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh. /AFP Photo

The recent momentum on art and entertainment shows has triggered speculation in Saudi Arabia that the kingdom may now be open to the idea of having theaters that routinely screen movies.

The idea gained further currency after a leading Saudi newspaper Saudi Gazette reported last month that cinemas – currently banned in the kingdom – may see the light of the day by the year-end. The report quoted the former chairman of the Saudi Cinema Committee Fahd Al-Tamimi stressing that “there is nothing in the Ministry of Culture and Information laws that prevent cinema halls.”

GEA chairman Ahmed Al Khatib had earlier told Reuters news agency that cinemas would eventually open in Saudi Arabia but it may take time. “We'll get there. I know how. I don’t know when," he had said.

A rare movie night hosted last month in Riyadh has all but removed any doubt about the imminent lifting of the ban on cinemas in Saudi Arabia. In a clear signal to what is in store in the future, the King Fahd Cultural Centre in the Saudi capital screened three short films to a rapt audience in October.

“Cinema is like the soul of Saudi society,” said Faisal Alharbi, director of National Dialogue, one of the short films that were screened on that rare occasion. It is a film about the social dilemma faced by Saudi youth in finding the right match. "It makes people see reality, a reflection of their own lives on screen," he said.

Saudi Arabia had a few theatres until the early 1980s, when they were shut down following strong objection from hardliners, who saw cinemas as a threat to cultural and religious identity. However, the ban hasn’t deterred Saudis from splurging billions of dollars annually to watch movies and go to amusement parks in neighboring Bahrain and Dubai.