Saudi Arabia will make its Cannes Film Festival debut next month with a selection of nine short films by local filmmakers which will screen at the Short Film Corner on May 14 and 15. The Saudi Film Council that was set up recently will have an official pavilion at the annual festival.

Welcoming the inclusion of Saudi Arabia, Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux said in a statement: “I am thrilled that Saudi Arabia has launched the Saudi Film Council with a clear focus on nurturing its filmmaking talent and sharing Saudi stories with the world. The many young filmmakers among the Saudi delegation will have access to the world’s most prestigious film festival, including meaningful interactions with leading, international film industry professionals.”

Following the landmark decision to lift the 35-year ban on public cinemas in late 2017, the Kingdom will see the first official release on April 18 of Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther.

Commenting on the country’s debut at Cannes, Dr Awwad Alawwad, Minister of Culture and Information and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudi’s General Culture Authority, said: “The Kingdom looks forward to its debut presence at the festival, celebrating and supporting the diversity of talent and opportunities within the Saudi film industry. With a rich tradition of storytelling, Saudi Arabia is embarking on the development of a sustainable and dynamic industry that supports and encourages all stages of a film cycle and offers an incredible range of locations for the world’s filmmakers to discover.”

Earlier this year, AMC, the largest cinema operator in the world, was awarded an operating license by the Ministry of Culture and Information. An estimated 350 cinemas with more than 2,500 screens are expected to be in operation by 2030.