An agreement has been signed by Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), to launch a fund of US$129 million, with the potential to expand to US$647 million, aimed at bolstering the production of Egyptian and Saudi films. The initiative is spearheaded by GEA as the primary sponsor, with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture as a co-sponsor.
This venture is a part of the recently initiated ‘Big Time’ programme, which aims to strengthen the cinema industries of Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The inaugural season of the fund has already approved the production of Awlad Rizk 3, with several other notable productions, including El Set, a biopic chronicling the life of Umm Kulthum, and The Blue Elephant 3 featuring Karim Abdel Aziz, She’ar Cairo starring Karim Abdel Aziz and Nancy Ajram, Lessa Hetta starring Ahmed Helmy, and Ex-Meraty starring Hisham Maged, Mohamed Mamdouh, and Amina Khalil, to name a few.
The list of approved films extends to include Ferqet Mot, starring Ahmed Ezz, Aser Yassin, Karim Abdel Aziz, See’dy fi Al-Jame’a Al-Amrikiya 2, starring Mohamed Henedy, Al Munajjem, starring Amr Youssef, and Al Bahth A’n Fadiha starring Karim Mahmoud Abdel Aziz and Hannah Al Zahed.
With a diverse array of genres and esteemed actors participating, the approved films herald a promising and captivating cinematic landscape for both Egyptian and Saudi audiences in the near future.
