📍 Riyadh — Rabi' II 7, 1447 AH (November 9, 2025)

The Film Commission today launched, at the Culture Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh, the final stop of the third edition of the International Film Criticism Conference, held under the theme "Cinema... The Art of Place" from November 7 to 9, 2025, with the participation of a select group of critics and filmmakers from inside and outside the Kingdom.

The conference is part of a national tour that has included a number of Saudi cities, from Abha to Qatif, as part of the commission's efforts to enrich the critical scene and promote cinematic dialogue, building on the success achieved by previous stops.

The third edition focuses on the relationship between cinema and place, as one of the most prominent elements of visual storytelling and cultural expression in the cinematic experience, through a diverse three-day program that includes panel discussions, master classes, film screenings and presentations exploring the presence of place as a visual and cultural space reflecting identity, memory and social change.

The initiative is part of the Film Commission's vision to strengthen the presence of film criticism in the Kingdom, through scientific and interactive platforms that bring together critics and filmmakers, aiming to develop critical analysis tools and support the intellectual and visual dialogue that helps develop the Saudi film industry and raise the quality of artistic production.

The commission said the conference reflects its commitment to building a cultural environment that fosters cinematic and critical thought, and highlighting cinema's role as an art form that reflects the identity of place and the spirit of Saudi society, in line with the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030 to support culture and creativity as a driver of national development.