Saudi set to have cinemas again?

Saudi Arabia is expected to allow the opening of cinema houses again after they were shut many years ago because of religious opposition.

“Cinemas had existed in Saudi Arabia for a long time but they were shut a few years ago. We expect a decision allowing them to reopen,” said Sultan Al Bazei, chairman of the Saudi Culture and Arts Association.

“The decision is not in our hands but I am optimistic because the society in the Kingdom has drastically changed,” he told the Saudi Arabic language daily ‘Alhayat’.

Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab country and world’s dominant oil exporter, is the only Gulf nation that does not have cinema houses and enforces laws banning gender-mixing in public places.
 

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