On April 25th, VOX Cinemas was presented with the Emerging Market Spotlight Award at this year’s CinemaCon for its contribution to Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning cinema sector. This is the second time that VOX Cinemas has been recognized, having previously been awarded Global Achievement in Exhibition in 2017.
According to Comscore, Saudi Arabia is receiving the honor following a 95% year-on-year box office increase in 2021. Since 2018, VOX Cinemas has launched 154 screens and 15 movie theaters across six cities in Saudi Arabia. Sister company Majid Al Futtaim LEC also produces local content and operates a large regional film distribution business, having recently become the distribution partner for Warner Bros. Pictures across the Middle East.
“Cinema in Saudi Arabia is growing at an unprecedented speed and, in just over four years, it has established itself as a major box office player on the global stage. VOX Cinemas will continue to play a leading role in creating a sustainable film industry and growing the cinema culture in the Kingdom by expanding its footprint and developing a dynamic content ecosystem”, said Ignace Lahoud, chief executive officer of Majid Al Futtaim cinemas. He added, “We are proud to see Saudi Arabia’s film industry receive international recognition and are honored that CinemaCon has selected us to accept this award.”
Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon added, “With almost 80% of the worldwide box office now coming from overseas, the international market has never played a more important role the cinema industry. In particular, the Saudi film sector is the emerging market to watch and a key focus globally given its exponential growth at the box office.”
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