2025-01-28
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The moment of shock is just unforgettable.
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I first went to Saudi Arabia in 2014 and have returned over the years, charting the rapid pace of change in the country.
I recently attended the kingdom's international Film festival in Jeddah, a glamorous event that showcases how much importance the state is putting on the growth of the entertainment industry.
On this visit, I noticed that while many Saudis are reveling in newly found freedoms, many people are more hesitant than ever to speak freely.
And that away from the glitzy ceremonies, not everything is quite as it seems.
Will Smith.
Will Smith.
I'm on an enormous red carpet.
Actresses are walking down in beautiful, sometimes revealing gowns.
There are actors from all over the world, film directors, many household names, and they're all heading into the main hall where they'll watch the film festival's opening movie together.
We could be at any glamorous spot in the world right now, any film festival, but we are in Saudi Arabia.
And this scene would have been unthinkable even six years ago in a country where cinema was once illegal.
It's a warm winter's evening in the city of Jeddah, the gateway for pilgrims traveling to Mecca.
Tonight, Saudi Arabia's ambitions to attract attention to their very own Saudi wood are on full display.
Ladies and gentlemen, the one and the only Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Unlike most other international film events, the Red Sea Film Festival has lured major stars to the kingdom by reportedly writing million dollar checks.