Cinema Meem CEO Maha Sultan on Building a Saudi Film Hub

Amidst reports of a booming cinematic industry, an increase in talent, funding, production and opportunity, Maha Sultan saw a gap. How could she support the burgeoning Saudi film sector to become sustainable? Her answer: Cinema Meem, a hub for creative services in the film sector that also supports young film enthusiasts breaking into the field.

Founded in 2022 as a platform to enrich Arabic-language film content through written, audio, and visual material, Cinema Meem grew into Creative Meem for Arts, a company of about 30 specialists and Saudi talents offering editing and translation, podcast and book production, and public relations and media sponsorship services.

Cinema Meem has published nearly 700 essays and translations, in collaboration with more than 170 writers and translators, many of them young Saudis at the beginning of their careers in cinema.
Beyond Meem, Maha hopes to establish film education programs and eventually produce her own films - with three scripts in development - as part of creating a holistic ecosystem for Saudi cinema.

While Cinema Meem remains its flagship platform. SceneNowSaudi spoke with Maha Sultan about her role as a pioneer in the emergence of the Saudi cinema sector and how her passion for arts and her mission to elevate the Arabic cinematic content led to the foundation of Cinema Meem. 

What gaps in Saudi did you aim to fill through Cinema Meem?

I am someone who loves cinema and has been passionate about it since childhood. I would read a lot of cinema coverage, articles, and translations. Yet, I noticed a shortage of cinematic studies, research, and criticism both locally and regionally. I asked myself why not create a cinematic magazine that will be a reference for cinema criticism. So we launched with articles and critical readings. We became more established and developed a loyal readership, and grew into a company. In our first collaboration, we wrote 300 critical research essays for the Saudi Film Commission. This was the beginning of Cinema Meem transitioning from a cinematic platform into a company whose mission is to foster a team of specialists and Saudi talents to elevate Saudi cinema both locally and internationally.

Did you have a background in cinema when you entered the industry? Tell me about your relationship with the theatre growing up.

I entered the film industry knowing no one. I worked quietly and persistently, building my craft before I built relationships.

I grew up in Hail, a city known for generosity and hospitality; these values guide how I lead and collaborate. Cinema has always been my refuge and my compass. In a dark theatre, the white screen cuts through the darkness and reminds me why we do this work. That light renews my energy every day.

Saudi Arabia’s film sector is still taking shape, and growth must be matched by thoughtful criticism, research, translation, and curation. This is the space we serve. At Creative Meem for Arts, we have maintained independence while seeking sustainable collaborations. Our mission is to connect talent to the finished film by providing the intellectual, cultural, and editorial infrastructure that helps their work reach audiences locally and regionally. 

Walk me through the challenges of pioneering an initiative brand-new to the Kingdom.

Founding Cinema Meem meant building and sustaining a new cultural lane in the Kingdom, then proving its value over time.

The first challenge was to define a clear intellectual and editorial scope and keep it consistent in a fragmented market where many initiatives operate on a piecemeal basis and in different directions. We also had to create a brand with no inherited network or legacy ties, which required earning trust day by day.

A second, structural challenge is that the ecosystem prioritises production outputs such as films and series. Our contribution complements the ecosystem by strengthening often underdeveloped areas such as criticism, research, and archiving since these foundations are essential to a healthy industry.

Meeting these challenges has required time, investment, disciplined standards, and conviction. We continue to build the capabilities, partnerships, and talent base needed to ensure continuity and to contribute meaningfully to Saudi cinema’s long-term growth. 

How do you maintain structure on a day-to-day basis while offering so many different services?

Last year, we implemented a company-wide strategy that formalised our structure and clarified accountability. We established dedicated administrative and creative divisions, with a disciplined workflow that routes each piece of content through development, editorial, production, quality review, and distribution. We manage projects in partnership with public and private entities, and we are expanding. In June 2025, we launched our first cinema club in Riyadh, “Neo Cinephiles Club,” to engage university students and aspiring professionals and to help cultivate the next generation of Saudi film talent.

How does the Neo Cinephiles Club serve Saudi youth who want to enter the cinema industry?

At the 2025 Saudi Media Forum, I spent hours speaking with cinema and media students at our booth. Many could describe their graduation projects yet lacked a grounding in cinematic fundamentals. I left frustrated and, more importantly, responsible. We moved quickly to design a community that bridges students to the industry they are entering, providing essential literacy and a direct line to professionals and opportunities. We launched the initiative successfully, and it now serves as a clear entry point for emerging talent. 

How is Cinema Meem helping to transform Saudi cinema into a global force while nurturing local talent and standards?

Our vision is to position Saudi Arabia globally through cinema by investing in projects and talent.

The club focuses on developing the next generation of filmmakers, ensuring the Kingdom keeps pace with global practice through cultural programs, podcasts, knowledge exchanges, and systematic cinematic archiving. A robust archive strengthens industry foundations, and youth development remains a core objective the club advances.

We are equally committed to improving the work environment by establishing clear standards and policies for the Saudi film sector, which currently lacks unified guidelines. We contribute to Vision 2030 by helping practitioners adopt clear standards that enhance professionalism and international recognition. 

In a landscape where film forums were rare, how did Saudi society respond to the arrival of Cinema Meem?

At Meem, we differentiate through authenticity and a clear mandate to empower the next generation of young Saudi talent to build cinematic knowledge while bridging to film-loving audiences.

From day one we set rigorous editorial standards and invested in young writers who approach films and cinematic themes with fresh perspectives. The result is critical work we are proud of, built to expand literacy and to open space for reflection and research. We designed Meem as a forum for dialogue and participation, not a one-way content feed.

This approach is how durable cultures of criticism are built in the arts. Our priority is to stimulate curiosity, invite innovative viewpoints, and encourage audiences to revisit films with sharper questions. Above all, we want every aspiring filmmaker who engages with us to gain a firm command of their tools and a wider intellectual and artistic horizon when they choose to create.

Among everything Cinema Meem has done, what’s the one thing that makes you step back and say, ‘Yes, this is why we started’?

I am proud of Meem in its entirety. Meem is like my daughter. I have never treated the company as a conventional project; it is a long-term institution that reflects our values and ambitions. The challenges can be daunting, yet we remain steadfast. Our aim is to empower talent, deliver measurable impact, and expand our reach beyond current boundaries.

Three years may seem brief, but in a young sector they are consequential. Sustainable initiatives require time, effort, and patience to realise a long-term vision. Saudi cinema has ample room for talent, yet it needs time, creativity, and the freedom to mature. Many enter expecting quick wins; in practice, progress is deliberate and cumulative. My aspiration is for Meem, while remaining independent, to evolve into an academy or major centre that nurtures the next generation of Saudi filmmakers.