Riyadh's First Art House Film Theatre CineHouse Will Soon Open

Today, it can be strange to think that it was only in April 2018, with a screening of Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’, that Saudi Arabia’s 35-year ban on cinemas finally came to an end. In the six short years since, not only has the Kingdom's cinema market become the largest in the Middle East, but it is also home to a blossoming indie film scene. Films like ‘Naga’, a psychedelic horror about a crazed camel seeking revenge, and ‘Mandoob’, a thriller exploring the dark criminal underbelly of Riyadh, are not just gaining global recognition at premier international festivals - they are also delighting wider audiences on global platforms like Netflix.

A key figure in this renaissance of Saudi cinema has been producer Faisal Baltyuor. As the former CEO of the Saudi Film Council, Faisal laid the groundwork for today's flourishing cinema scene before transitioning to the private sector and establishing CineWaves Film in 2020. With 13 of its films on Netflix and 16 titles at last year’s Red Sea International Film Festival, CineWaves has become a major force in Arab indie cinema, producing critical successes like ‘Hanging Gardens’, directed by an Iraqi filmmaker and winner of Best Film at the Red Sea Film Festival in 2022, and ‘Goodbye Julia’ in 2023, the first Sudanese film to ever screen at Cannes.

Faisal’s latest venture, set to open in October 2024, is CineHouse, Riyadh's first art house film theatre. This passion project, two years in the making, aims to create a space to celebrate local and regional filmmakers, and foster a community where a love for independent cinema can thrive.

However, CineHouse is a far cry from classic indie cinemas with their rickety seats and stale popcorn. With 80 seats across three screening rooms, featuring state-of-the-art 4K laser projectors and an Atmos 7.1 sound system, the cinema’s design pays homage to the golden age of cinema, with a restaurant and bar inspired by the Cotton Club, New York's legendary 1920s nightclub, a haven for actors, musicians and artists.

Reflecting its commitment to the local film scene, CineHouse’s opening screening will be the 1975 documentary ‘Development of Riyadh City’ by Saudi documentary maker Abdullah Al Muhaisen, an early pioneer in laying the groundwork for an independent Saudi film scene. CineHouse will also host a series of seminars and panel discussions with prominent directors, allowing Riyadh’s cinemagoers to engage more deeply with cinema as a provocative art form and not just as entertainment.

CineHouse will go on to screen a curated and regularly updated program of local and international films, along with film cycles showcasing indie cinema classics from across the Arab world and beyond. Films set to screen in its opening cycle include Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, ‘The Burned’ by Yemeni director Amr Gamal, ‘Fallen Leaves’ by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki and ‘Leila’s Brothers’ by Iranian director Saeed Roustayi.