RIYADH: Guy Ritchie, a British filmmaker, who rose to fame for his most famous hit gangster films the “Sherlock Holmes” franchise and his live-action “Aladdin” adaptation, has predicted a bright future for the Saudi Arabia film industry.
British Filmmaker Red Sea International Film Festival
The British director, who participated in a day-two Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, said that what was interesting about Saudi Arabia was that there was such an explosion of fervour and there was a high desire to express ingenuity. He said that that made it very interesting for all. Talking about the nascent film industry in Saudi Arabia, Ritchie noted that Saudi Arabia was trying to couple the inexperience with enthusiasm because the country has the excitement and the means. He said that the country has just developed some form of experience and sub-structure.
He said he did not like to make films in the United Kingdom anyway and would prefer to make movies outside the UK. The British director said that they worked in Jordan for ‘Aladdin’ and it proved very well for them.
He said that they also visited Spain for the last film and prior to that they were in Turkey for a film. He said that though there was no need to get out of the UK, he would much rather work in a new and exciting environment and for that one, he just needed a sub-structure to facilitate movie-makers. “And I am sure that it will happen,” said the filmmaker, who was attending the Jeddah film festival along with his wife and actress Jacqui Ainsley.
In the conversation segment on Friday, Ritchie said that he thought that he was very interested in that part of the world and that creativity should find its way into that part of the world and that was why he was there.
British Filmmaker Ritchie said incentives and subsidies were necessary for film production and building a healthy film industry.
