Trajectories of Saudi Documentary Film: History, Current Scene, and Challenges

Trajectories of Saudi Documentary Film: History, Current Scene, and Challenges



Abstract

Documentary filmmaking has played a vital role in the development and representation of cinema worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the documentary film industry has emerged as a powerful medium for filmmakers to express ideas, visions, and experiences, which are naturally linked to observing and representing reality, at a time when other film genres were absent for various reasons. Understanding the historical development, current scene, and future challenges of Saudi documentary cinema is crucial to shed light on its contributions to the Saudi film industry and its potential for growth and prosperity.

This research is divided into four main sections:

Section One: Defines documentary film and briefly highlights its development stages, key styles, and trends. Section Two: Traces the history of Saudi documentary film from the early days of Saudi cinema in the 1950s to the current flourishing stage, with a proposed classification into specific periods, each with its characteristics. Section Three: Analyzes several documentary experiences in Saudi cinema to highlight the nature of the topics and artistic styles adopted by filmmakers from different periods. This section aims to explore the specificity of Saudi documentary films. Section Four: Identifies some of the challenges facing the Saudi documentary film industry and its future potential.

The research is preceded by an introduction that explains the importance of the research, its questions, and the methodology it adopts, in addition to a conclusion at the end of the research that reviews and summarizes its most important results.

Keywords: Saudi cinema, documentary film, filmmaking, reality representation, culture, funding.