Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — The final session of the International Film Criticism Conference, organized by the Saudi Film Commission, began on Friday evening at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter under the theme “Cinema… The Art of Place.”
The two-day event brings together leading critics, academics, and filmmakers from Saudi Arabia and around the world, continuing its mission to enrich the critical landscape and foster cinematic dialogue within the Kingdom.
The conference builds on earlier sessions held across Saudi Arabia — starting in Asir, followed by Qatif, and culminating in Riyadh — with the goal of strengthening cinematic dialogue locally and internationally, and expanding cultural and intellectual exchange in the film industry.
In its third edition, the conference focuses on the relationship between cinema and place, emphasizing how settings shape visual storytelling and cultural identity.
Over three days, the program includes panel discussions, masterclasses, presentations, and film screenings, featuring more than 30 speakers and cinema experts from around the world, exploring how “place” functions as a visual and cultural element reflecting memory, identity, and social transformation.
Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Qahtani, CEO of the Film Commission, highlighted that since its inception, the Commission has worked to establish film criticism as a vital pillar of awareness-building, equally important as creativity and production.
He stated: “Criticism is not merely a reaction to a film — it is an act of understanding and reflection connecting art with society, image with place, and the past with the future. This conference opens new horizons for film criticism and deepens our responsibility to listen to what the place tells us and how cinema reimagines it with vitality and honesty.”
The conference also announced an open call for research papers through the “Cinemaa” initiative of the Film Commission, encouraging critics and researchers to contribute to the development of Saudi and Arab visual culture through innovative academic approaches.
The International Film Criticism Conference reflects the Film Commission’s ongoing efforts to promote cinematic and critical culture, support national creative movements, and create an interactive intellectual environment aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
