Saudi Arabia to Try Cartoons after 20 Years Without Movies

To say that Saudi Arabia is conservative is an understatement. Women there cannot drive, it is illegal to possess alcohol and corporal punishment is part of the legal code. While not exactly outlawed, there hasn’t been any cinema there either since the mid-1980s. That is about to change; when Ramadan ends this year, a one-hour program of foreign cartoons dubbed into Arabic will be shown in Riyadh. But it’s a women and children only affair.

Ferej Alowedi, the Saudi embassy’s charge d’affaires told The Guardian, “In the 1970s many of the films that were being distributed were often very offensive to our conservative society and people stopped showing films.” In the case of the Friday the 13th films, anything starring Ben Affleck without Matt Damon, or the rash of comic book heroes that have made it to the silver screen, one can only envy the Saudis. What a joy it must be to wonder, in all seriousness, "who is Tom Cruise?"

However, the cartoons are a step toward reviving the movies in Saudi Arabia. As Mr. Alowedi said, “Things have changed. There is a lot more television and many beautiful films are being produced. For some time we have been able to hire and buy videos in Saudi Arabia. The opening of cinemas is natural.” And the Bunny and the Duck shall lead them.

It is unclear at this stage just what cartoons will appear on the bill at the beginning of November, but it’s a safe bet to say that “Sahara Hare” starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam won’t make the cut. Sam in his bed-sheet faux Arabian attire standing on a Dromedary camel would probably spark a riot.

The exclusion of men from the event is a cultural/religious issue; the Saudis disapprove of mixing the sexes after puberty outside the family. However, it may prevent wider acceptance of cinema, making it appear to be something merely for women and children. That would be a shame, because even if the most recent Hollywood titles aren’t worth seeing, the men of Saudi Arabia deserve a belly laugh just as much as anyone else – “Duck Season!” “Rabbit Season!” And how does one say “You’re despicable!” in Arabic and get the right amount of spit into Daffy’s voice?


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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