JEDDAH: In just seven years, Saudi Arabia’s cinema industry has transformed from a near-dormant sector into a rapidly growing entertainment market, marked by a significant increase in the number of screens and film production.
In 2025 alone, cinemas in Saudi Arabia screened 538 films, generating revenues exceeding SR920.8 million ($245.4 million) and selling around 18.8 million tickets. This performance reflects a growing audience base and rising demand for local cinematic content, underscoring the accelerating growth of the domestic film market.
Telfaz11 investments in the film sector
Amid this growth, local content companies continue to increase their investments to build a sustainable film industry. Telfaz11 is one of the leading companies in this effort, having invested over SR110 million since 2022 in film production and the development of cinema projects.
Speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah, CEO Alaa Fadan said that the company has an ambitious plan to inject more than SR500 million over the next five years to support film production and expand the scope of its projects.
Record-breaking box-office films
Fadan noted that Telfaz11 has produced the three highest-grossing films in Saudi cinema history, generating over SR97 million in total. These include “Sattar,” which earned around SR39 million; “Night Courier,” or “Mandoob,” with approximately SR28 million; and “Al-Zarfa,” which brought in about SR30 million.
These figures highlight the success of local cinematic projects and their ability to attract audiences while generating strong revenue.
Industry still in building phase
Fadan explained that the progress achieved over the past seven years represents rapid advancement compared with other emerging film industries worldwide. However, he stressed that the sector is still in a building phase and has not yet reached full maturity.
He said that Saudi Arabia now possesses key foundational elements such as widespread cinema screens, local production companies, a new generation of filmmakers, and audiences increasingly accustomed to watching Saudi films.
Nonetheless, he added, developing a fully integrated industry requires years of accumulated experience, continuous production, and a robust system for financing, distribution, and training.
Talent and specialized workforce challenges
Fadan believes the real challenge does not lie in a single element of the industry, but in the integration of the entire cinematic ecosystem, emphasizing that Saudi talent in writing, directing, and acting is now evident, yet expanding production requires increasing the number of qualified professionals.
For example, he stressed, the market needs more screenwriters capable of developing commercially appealing stories for audiences.
On the technical side, local teams have shown significant development, although some reliance on international expertise in advanced specializations continues, which is normal in the early stages of any industry.
Importance of marketing and distribution
Fadan emphasized that marketing and distribution are crucial elements in a film’s success, as a film’s performance now depends not only on its artistic quality but also on its ability to reach audiences and be promoted strategically, both locally and internationally.
He noted that Telfaz11’s prior experience in digital content creation before entering cinema gave the company a key advantage, allowing it to build a direct relationship with audiences online through hundreds of clips and projects that helped establish a broad fan base.
This connection, he added, enabled the company to understand Saudi viewers’ tastes and create anticipation around new releases.
Therefore, Fadan said, marketing is not viewed as a post-production step but as an integral part of project development from the outset, including building a clear film identity, designing creative communication campaigns, and leveraging digital platforms to reach audiences effectively.
Equation for successful commercial film
According to Fadan, the success of a commercial film depends on three main elements: a strong and engaging story, a deep understanding of audience interests, and an effective marketing and distribution strategy.
At the same time, the biggest challenge in production remains balancing risk and return, especially for high-budget commercial films that require significant investments and carefully planned production decisions.
Supporting local talent and creative economy
Since entering film production, Telfaz11 has invested SR110 million between 2022 and 2025 in various cinematic projects.
More than 10,000 local professionals have participated in the company’s work across different projects. The company also established several writing rooms that have trained over 30 emerging writers from the new generation.
In addition, Telfaz11 has collaborated with more than 100 local suppliers and companies in production, logistics, equipment, and design, supporting the creative economy and enhancing the participation of local businesses in the sector.
Cultural initiatives to strengthen cinema community
The company also launched the Cinema Valley initiative, an independent pop-up cinema experience designed to create a cultural community around films and encourage audiences to interact directly with movies and their creators.
Future plans and ongoing production
Looking ahead, the company is currently developing over 40 project ideas at various stages, some of which have already entered the writing phase in preparation for production over the next two years.
The company aims to release its works across multiple platforms, including cinemas and digital streaming services, with a plan to produce roughly three projects annually. The first of these in 2026 is the series “Alkhallat+.”
New phase for Saudi cinema
With these investments and rapid growth, Saudi cinema is entering a new phase, potentially evolving from a promising market into a fully integrated industry in the coming years, supported by increasing production, developing talent, and a growing local audience base.
