On December 7, the second edition of the "Saudi Film Nights" China event, organized by the Saudi Film Commission and executed by China Ori Culture Group, successfully concluded in Chengdu. Launched on November 28, the ten-day event traveled through three cities—Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu—attracting nearly 2,000 participants from film authorities, industry institutions, academic scholars, and movie enthusiasts of both countries. It has become a grand and influential cultural exchange spectacle under the framework of the inaugural "Saudi-China Culture Year."

Saudi representatives, including Acting Consul General Khalid Al-Qhtani of the Saudi Consulate General in Guangzhou and key officials from the Saudi Film Commission, alongside representatives from local film regulatory bodies and industry stakeholders, attended the series of events. They highly commended the event, recognizing it not only as a means to deepen mutual cultural understanding between the two peoples but also as a platform laying a new foundation and direction for cooperation in the film industries of China and Saudi Arabia.

Diverse Film Screenings Showcasing the New Face of Saudi Cinema

This edition of the "Saudi Film Nights" in China event meticulously selected four outstanding Saudi films from recent years for screening: Hobal, My Driver and I, Esaaf, and Slave. Spanning diverse genres and unique narrative perspectives, these films ranged from family epics rooted in tradition amid vast deserts to heartwarming stories transcending social strata in modern cities, from tense yet humorous rescue adventures to fantastical allegories exploring technology and humanity. They not only showcased the rich cultural fabric and evolving times of Saudi society but also presented Chinese audiences with the country’s magnificent natural landscapes and profound cultural heritage through cinematic language. The vast deserts, traditional architecture, and modern urban landscapes interwoven on screen offered audiences a more intuitive appreciation of Saudi Arabia’s natural beauty and dynamic development.

During the screenings, several Saudi film directors, producers, and lead actors engaged with audiences in person or via live streams, sharing insights behind their creative processes. The interactions were lively and enthusiastic, with Chinese audiences showing strong interest in the distinctive artistic expressions and profound social observations of Saudi cinema. Many expressed that through these films, they "saw a more authentic, multidimensional, and story-rich Saudi Arabia."

Building an Industry Platform to Promote Full-Chain Pragmatic Cooperation

As the Chinese executor of the event, Ori Group leveraged its years of resource advantages and platform expertise in the Middle East to successfully transform the "Saudi Film Nights" in China event into an ecosystem platform integrating industry resources and fostering pragmatic cooperation. During the event, Ori Group effectively connected representatives from both sides across various segments of the film industry chain, including production, distribution and promotion, technical equipment, and derivative services. In some areas, strong cooperation intentions were sparked right at the event, vividly demonstrating the practical driving effect of cultural exchanges on industrial collaboration.

Particularly noteworthy is that Ori Group has officially initiated preparations for the "China Film Week in Saudi" planning to introduce outstanding Chinese films to the Saudi and broader Middle Eastern markets. This initiative aims to propel China-Saudi and China-Arab film exchanges into a new phase of "two-way interaction and sustainable operation."

Bridging Cultures Through Cinema, Exploring New Prospects for Cooperation

The year 2025 coincides with the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia and the inaugural "Saudi-China Culture Year." The successful conclusion of the second edition of the "Saudi Film Nights" in China event represents a fruitful outcome of implementing the consensus of the Culture Year and opens the door to deeper cooperation in the future.

The successful conclusion of this edition marks a critical step toward the branding and regularized operation of "Saudi Film Nights" in China, injecting new momentum into China-Saudi cultural relations. Both sides will seize this opportunity to continue expanding areas of cooperation, enriching collaborative content, and advancing film exchanges toward more institutionalized and systematic development.