Imax CEO Richard Gelfond on Launching the Company’s First Arabic Film and Expanding Its Footprint in Saudi Arabia and the MENA Region (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent In what amounts to a milestone for the Middle East, Imax has announced plans to release its first-ever Arabic-language feature film.
It’s a comedy titled “Ambulance” led by Saudi star Ibrahim Hajjaj, whose 2023 wrestling movie “Sattar”is Saudi Arabia‘s highest grossing local title.
The announcement was made by Imax CEO Richard Gelfond during the grand opening on Wednesday of a new Imax theater in the Saudi city of Jeddah, which featured screenings of “Gladiator II” and “Moana 2.” The event took place on the eve of the Red Sea Film Festival, which will open Thursday with Gelfond in attendance.
Imax’s new venue in Jeddah is the first under their deal with Muvi Cinemas, which is the kingdom’s largest exhibitor. “Ambulance,” which is directed by British director Colin Teague (“Doctor Who,” “Torchwood,” “Rashash”), is a screwball comedy that follows two Saudi paramedics who stumble upon a briefcase containing 2 million Saudi riyals in Ryadh, the kingdom’s capital.
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