How Haifaa Al Mansour is reshaping Saudi Arabia's booming film industry

Saudi Arabia’s film industry is growing rapidly after the lifting of a 35-year cinema ban in 2017. At the forefront of this change is Haifaa Al Mansour, the kingdom’s first female feature film director. Her work has broken barriers and inspired a new generation of filmmakers. Al Mansour made history with her 2012 film Wadjda, the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia. The story follows a rebellious 10-year-old girl who enters a Koran recitation contest to buy a bicycle. It premiered at Venice and became the country’s first submission for the Best Foreign Film Oscar.

Her latest project, Unidentified, is a crime thriller centred on a woman investigating the death of a teenage girl. The film explores themes of agency and women shaping their own futures in a traditional society. Al Mansour’s earlier work, The Perfect Candidate, was the first feature supported by the Saudi Film Council.

The kingdom is actively fostering its film industry with incentives like a 60% rebate for eligible local spending to attract international productions. Al Mansour believes importing expertise will help strengthen the emerging sector. She also notes a rise in younger female filmmakers entering the field. Saudi Arabia’s film landscape has transformed since the cinema ban ended. Al Mansour’s films have played a key role in this shift, with her stories highlighting women’s resilience and ambition. The industry’s growth is further supported by government initiatives and increasing local talent.