The historic region of AlUla, where the Gerard Butler actioner 'Kandahar' made history, has become a major component of Saudi Arabia’s grand cinematic plans
In just a few months — on May 23, to be exact — history will be made when the first major Hollywood production to shoot there is released. The Gerard Butler actionermay appear an unlikely, gun-toting flag-bearer, but not only was it the first big-budget production to descend on Saudi Arabia since the country opened its doors in 2018, it was also the first to shoot solely in the country, much of that in AlUla.
, the exec discusses the next phase of AlUla’s progression, the benefits of bordering Jordan and how attitudes toward working in Saudi Arabia are changing. Probably the biggest thing you’ll notice between 18 months ago and now is momentum. Eighteen months ago, you had huge amounts of vision and goodwill and lots of effort into building relationships. And now what you’re actually seeing is real traction on the ground.
Yes. The location is spectacular, and that’s a good thing. But really, the focus is on building the creative industry around the screen sector. You can’t build a creative industry around the screen sector with just outdoor locations. So we have the built-in environment, like studios. And I would say, even more important than that is the development of below-the-line crew.
We’re really fortunate to have Jordan as neighbors — I’d say it’d be pretty hard to find an entity that has been as successful in developing below-the-line crew. And they’re very easy to work with and communicate with. There’s a lot of crossover, and even in my team. I have some people who previously [worked] with the Jordanian Film Commission and still have strong ties there.
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