Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia will be having a good chance to watch movies on the big screens as the Kingdom schedules the opening of first cinema in the country on April 18 after 35 years.
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Particularly the first cinema will open in King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and a source told Reuters that it will not require men and women to sit separately.
This is only a start because around 40 cinemas will be opened in 15 cities in Saudi Arabia in the next five years under the agreement between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information and AMC.
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Base on the target, 350 cinemas or 2,500 screens will be opened across the country by 2030.
(Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Awad bin Saleh Al-Awad and AMC CEO Adam Aron) Photo via Arab News |
However, questions about what kinds of films will be shown in the new cinemas are not certain as of the press time.
December 2017 when the Saudi government lifted a 35-year ban on cinemas. Saudi Arabia imposed a complete ban on cinemas in the early 1980s.
Millions of people in the kingdom already have digital access to films through online-streaming services such as Netflix.
Read: Expats in Saudi Be Careful Especially Those Driving and With Cars
Read: Expats in Saudi Be Careful Especially Those Driving and With Cars
The re-opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia is part of Vision 2030 with a goal to improve the quality of life by providing additional leisure opportunities.
Aside from this, it is reported that the opening of cinemas will help support the local economy and leads to the creation of new jobs.
The government hopes cinemas will attract nearly $1 billion in annual box office sales.
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