No aesthetic experience is ever detached from its social function; hence, cinema stands as a clear example of this vital connection. A film cannot exist without an audience that watches it and provides interpretations, comments, and sometimes critical or impressionistic readings—readings that extend beyond the artistic dimension into the sphere of moral and intellectual debates. Every viewer can claim their own voice in response to films, and through their observations and perspectives, they construct their identity as cinephiles and spectators of cinematic works. From this standpoint, the nature of the Saudi audience's reception of films can be analyzed following the opening of cinema halls in 2018.
The relationship of the Saudi audience with cinema is not new. Movie theatres existed in sports clubs, companies, homes, and what is known as Al Ahwash cinemas until they ceased operation due to the Al Sahwa movement. Yet films continued to be watched intensively and with great diversity in homes and youth gatherings through videotapes and CDs, which filled a significant gap in cinematic culture. However, cinema did not function as a participatory, emotional, and popular value until the moment the halls officially opened. At this specific juncture, the box office emerged as a measure of the taste and awareness of the Saudi audience. It became evident that films of modest quality are the ones that endure in cinemas and achieve remarkable profits, raising questions about the nature of a reception that favors mediocre films while sidelining higher-quality ones.
According to Laurent Jullier, professor of Film Studies at IECA, a good film is technically successful, innovative, and cohesive—a film from which we learn and that moves our emotions. This procedural approach serves as a standard criterion for a good film at its minimum core, allowing us to evaluate films such as the Egyptian movies (Mesh Ana - 2021) «مش أنا», (Sugar Daddy - 2023) «شوغر دادي», (Wa’afet Reggala - 2021) «وقفة رجالة», (Taj - 2023) «تاج», and other commercial films that have garnered millions in Saudi cinema halls. For a broad segment of the Saudi audience, the entertainment aspect takes precedence under alluring movie titles—sometimes under the guise of family films, other times as youth-oriented films, and at times under the false pretense of comedy films. This is a questionable trend, which could be acceptable in the first year of cinema openings, considering that the audience was acclimating to these spaces as a reaction to decades of deprivation. However, it cannot be accepted today, after years of accumulated viewing experience and expertise.
This predicament is not unique to the Saudi audience; it is a global phenomenon that threatens cinematic taste, as this debate has been discussed within the context of cinematic and natural taste. Accordingly, the term “resistance to popcorn culture” was introduced by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. He used it to describe a category of viewers whose only concern in the cinematic experience is entertainment and consuming as much popcorn as possible, in contrast to what he called “cinephiles”—cinema lovers who pursue film releases and discuss them within a circle of friends or on social media, thereby forming their artistic opinions about the films.
Studies in the sociology of cinema indicate that a large percentage of those who enjoy going to cinemas prefer watching films in groups to build shared frames of reference. This collective enthusiasm observed in Saudi cinemas reflects a definite desire among the youth to signal their transition from childhood into the adult world. As a result of these gatherings, cinematic recommendations arise alongside generational social relationships. This characterizes much of the Saudi cinema audience, where social spaces foster interaction among friends and cultivate cinematic taste at its most basic level, as entertainment tends to outweigh cultural and artistic considerations. It was precisely in this context that a broad segment of the audience, who had fallen victim to the advertising and marketing for the film (Oppenheimer- 2023), experienced disappointment, having expected a visually stunning action film.
In addition to being a new urban phenomenon in the lives of Saudis, cinemas are considered a key pillar of the cultural landscape. They quickly transformed into a social phenomenon, confirming Edgar Morin’s assertion that cinemas are institutions of social imagination. Saudi viewers have an open appetite to consume as many films as possible, as highlighted by VOX Cinemas CEO Cameron Mitchell, who noted that the Kingdom is the only cinema market in the world to have expanded since 2020. This serves as the artistic gateway for gaining viewing experiences, analyzing films, and establishing aesthetic awareness, which inevitably leads to the creation of meaningful representations of life.
Here, one can observe a significant trend highlighting the cultural impact of films. Cinemas are not satisfied with showing commercial films alone; they also strive to screen new international films, particularly Hollywood productions. Furthermore, Arabia Picture Entertainment, in cooperation with European embassies, organized the European Film Festival, and the Red Sea Film Festival has presented international films across all its editions. Mahmoud Sabbagh also launched an initiative for independent cinema (Al-Hosh Cinema), a moving cinema based in historic Jeddah, showcasing Saudi, Arab, and international films. All these initiatives, which demonstrate that cinema is part of the socio-cultural system, are still insufficient to change the behavior and attitudes of the Saudi audience toward films. Cinemas are thus called upon not to rely solely on American thrillers and Egyptian comedies, but to offer a cinematic experience that honors the Saudi spectator, including masterpieces from Italian, French, Russian, Greek, and Iranian cinema. This approach is precisely what counteracts popcorn culture.
Daniel Dayan states: “When the audience pays for a movie ticket, they receive not only a seat, but an eye—an eye that shapes their identity while watching the film, granting them a role, prestige, and purpose.” It should be noted here that the cinema audience in Saudi Arabia is not limited to those who attend theatres; there is also a very large group of film enthusiasts who participate on social media as experts, whether in terms of information, technology, or artistic analysis. Those who have emerged from popcorn culture constitute a vital part of what can be termed the “shadow discourse.” They fully grasp the concept of cinema’s cultural legitimacy and contribute significantly to localizing the film industry. They deserve recognition from the film authority, placing them at the forefront alongside those striving to connect cinema with everyday life.