Egyptian films are taking off in Saudi Arabia, with 27% of all films screened in the country being Egyptian productions. The kingdom's rapidly expanding exhibition sector has become a lucrative market for Egypt's film exports, generating over $53 million in revenue from Egyptian titles in 2024.
The top-grossing Egyptian films abroad include "Bahebek" and "Sons of Rizk 3: Knockout," which have both performed exceptionally well in Saudi Arabia. The latter grossed a total of $22.3 million internationally, while "A Stand Worthy of Men" earned $18.3 million worldwide.
Egyptian-Saudi coproductions are also finding success, with recent titles such as Hani Khalifa's thriller "Flight 404" qualifying for preferential tax treatment on their Saudi box office revenues. The film is Egypt's official submission to the 97th Academy Awards for best international feature.
The popularity of Egyptian films in Saudi Arabia has been driven by several factors, including a decline in dollar value at Egypt's box office due to the depreciation of the Egyptian pound. This fall has led to significant exchange rate fluctuations, but also resulted in higher revenues for local currency.
Cinemagoing in Egypt is still recovering from the pandemic slump, with admissions reaching 12 million in 2024 and expected to hit 13.8 million by the end of 2025. The country's cinema audience is dominated by younger viewers, aged between 18-29 years.
Egyptian films have traditionally been a dominant force at the box office, accounting for nearly 70% of total revenues. However, recent successes from Hollywood titles such as "F1" and "The Conjuring: Last Rites" suggest that audiences are becoming more open to foreign productions.
Innovative distributors such as Synergy and Misr International Films have emerged in the Egyptian film market, offering a range of international releases to their audience. Meanwhile, new players like Arab Radio and Television Network's UVF subsidiary are focusing on financing and distributing mid-budget Egyptian films with the aim of releasing them internationally.
The top-grossing Egyptian films abroad include "Bahebek" and "Sons of Rizk 3: Knockout," which have both performed exceptionally well in Saudi Arabia. The latter grossed a total of $22.3 million internationally, while "A Stand Worthy of Men" earned $18.3 million worldwide.
Egyptian-Saudi coproductions are also finding success, with recent titles such as Hani Khalifa's thriller "Flight 404" qualifying for preferential tax treatment on their Saudi box office revenues. The film is Egypt's official submission to the 97th Academy Awards for best international feature.
The popularity of Egyptian films in Saudi Arabia has been driven by several factors, including a decline in dollar value at Egypt's box office due to the depreciation of the Egyptian pound. This fall has led to significant exchange rate fluctuations, but also resulted in higher revenues for local currency.
Cinemagoing in Egypt is still recovering from the pandemic slump, with admissions reaching 12 million in 2024 and expected to hit 13.8 million by the end of 2025. The country's cinema audience is dominated by younger viewers, aged between 18-29 years.
Egyptian films have traditionally been a dominant force at the box office, accounting for nearly 70% of total revenues. However, recent successes from Hollywood titles such as "F1" and "The Conjuring: Last Rites" suggest that audiences are becoming more open to foreign productions.
Innovative distributors such as Synergy and Misr International Films have emerged in the Egyptian film market, offering a range of international releases to their audience. Meanwhile, new players like Arab Radio and Television Network's UVF subsidiary are focusing on financing and distributing mid-budget Egyptian films with the aim of releasing them internationally.
, especially since they're getting paid in Saudi riyals rather than dollars. It makes sense that audiences are warming up to foreign films again, 'specially after the pandemic 
. I'm loving how local distributors like Synergy and Misr International Films are bringing new movies to the table 
. It's gonna be interesting to see if Egyptian filmmakers can keep this momentum going 
. I remember watching some of these oldies back in the day and how they were always so iconic and influential... like "Bahebek" was a total game-changer for me 
. And hey, 27% of films being Egyptian productions is a solid number... I guess you could say Egypt is back on the map 
. But let's not forget, the pandemic has had its toll on cinema in general... it'll be interesting to see how the numbers shake out next year 
. It's like, we've been making movies for ages, but now the world is finally recognizing our talent 
. And with coproductions coming in, I think we're gonna see even more collaborations between Egyptian and Saudi filmmakers in the future 
. Plus, it's awesome to see innovative distributors emerging, bringing new foreign films to the market and giving Egyptians a chance to enjoy different stories 
, but seriously, it's not bad for Egypt, they're making some decent cash from their exports. I mean, who wouldn't want to see a good movie, right? 
, let's keep hoping for more international hits 
!
! it's crazy to think that 27% of all movies in Saudi Arabia are actually from Egypt, that's insane. i mean, I've seen some good stuff from Egypt lately, like "Bahebek" and "Sons of Rizk 3: Knockout", but I'm also kinda surprised that more people aren't watching 'em yet 
. the dollar value thing is a big deal, I get it, but can't we just watch movies because they're good? 
still, it's awesome to see Egypt's film industry thriving and making bank 
. gotta keep an eye on those Egyptian-Saudi coproductions though, maybe we'll see some more hits like "Flight 404"