Until a few years ago, few people outside of the Middle East had heard of AlUla, an area brimming with sand dunes, desert oases, and ancient ruins, some dating back to the Neolithic period of the Stone Age.
However, the country’s notable and swift arrival into the film industry has seen AlUla become an influential presence at nearly all major festivals, with large investments having been made to attract international productions, establish infrastructure, and create a fully-fledged moviemaking hub where there was previously no film industry whatsoever.
Things have certainly changed. Indeed, history will be made later this year, on 23 May, when the first major Hollywood movie to shoot in AlUla is released. Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler, is not only the first big-budget movie to arrive in the Kingdom since it opened its doors in 2018, but it was also the first to be shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, with much of it taking place in AlUla.
A studio facility can be built relatively fast, but personnel, especially skilled crew, takes years to establish
The plot revolves around Tom Harris (Butler), an undercover CIA operative, who is stuck deep in hostile territory in Afghanistan. When an intelligence leak exposes his identity and mission, he must fight his way out, alongside his Afghan translator, to an extraction point in Kandahar.
Around 18 months ago, there was a lot of vision and determination, but now there is tangible traction on the ground. And that should come as no surprise. The location is spectacular. Nevertheless, in reality, the emphasis is on developing the creative business around the screen sector. It is impossible to establish a creative enterprise based solely on outdoor locations. Thus there is now a built-in environment, similar to studios. Even more crucial is the development of below-the-line workers. A studio facility can be built relatively fast, but personnel, especially skilled crew, takes years to establish. This is obviously ongoing, but will ultimately mean that AlUla will not be totally dependent on flying crew in.
History will be made later this year, on 23 May, when the first major Hollywood movie to shoot in AlUla is released
There are plenty of projects in the pipeline, not only from international filmmakers but also from potential Middle Eastern movies, which are now looking at AlUla with fresh eyes and genuine enthusiasm. It’s so assessable too, with direct flights from Dubai, Paris, Cairo and Amman, but these are not every day and not always both ways. And naturally, if you have a crew of, say, 180, then you could lose 180 days, so there are still challenges as the industry moves forward.
Nevertheless, because AlUla is such a fabulous and welcoming location with excellent facilities, to quote one famous movie line, “people will come”.