Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman (MBS) has been spending billions of dollars since coming to office as part of his efforts to whitewash his poor human rights record.
In this regard, well-informed sources have confirmed that MBS intends to produce a film documenting his alleged achievements since becoming in power.
The sources indicated that the initial budget for the film is estimated at $250 million, saying foreign producers and directors are engaged in the project.
However, some of the directors expressed fear of being involved in the documentary due to MBS’s involvement in serious human rights violations in Saudi Arabia.
The film is expected to be broadcast on state-run channels and the MBC network and will also be translated into English.
The documentary aims to whitewash MBS’s reputation and promote his alleged achievements, including allowing women to drive cars and organising music concerts in the Kingdom.
MBS has recently launched a new state-owned ‘Saudi Now’ TV channel, aimed at promoting entertainment events.
The TV channel will broadcast key national and entertainment events held in the country with billions spent by Riyadh to boost sports, music, and film in the kingdom.
In the past year alone, the number of licensed activities and entertainment events in Saudi shot up by 367 percent, reaching 5,650 in total.
The move comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to transform itself into a global media hub.
The plan saw the relocation of key media outlets from abroad and a focus on digital platforms, exemplified by the migration of prominent state-owned media like Al Arabiya from Dubai to Riyadh.
However, most forms of media in the country, including newspapers, films, television, books, and content published online, face heavy censoring.
Sources familiar with the matter earlier revealed that MBS decided to launch a new TV channel, called NEOM, to promote the NEOM desert project.
MBS) spent one billion dollars on entertainment events throughout the Kingdom during the past two months, sources familiar with the matter revealed.
The sources pointed out that popular singers and dance groups from European countries received huge amounts of money to hold concerts in the Kingdom and to promote it as a touristic destination.
Long known for its ultra-conservative mores, the kingdom has embarked on a wide-ranging program of social and economic reforms driven by its crown prince.
The country that has been better known as the birthplace of Islam than a rave capital has gone through a tremendous makeover since MBS took control of the everyday running of the kingdom in 2017. Soundstorm is an eye-catching symbol of that change.
