The Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) launched a $234.4 million program to finance the film sector in the Kingdom. The program aims to support the film industry, provide financing solutions that facilitate the work of local and foreign film companies and creative entrepreneurs, sustainably stimulate the sector’s growth, and transform the Kingdom into a hub for making and investing in films. CDF Chief Executive Mohammed Bindayel explained that the program would activate two funding tracks, “lending” and “investment.” During the Ignite the Scene event, CDF launched the “lending” track by signing agreements with its financial partners “Lendo” and “Sukuk Capital” to provide financing packages to companies working in the Saudi film sector. Bindayel added that the goal is to ensure comprehensive development of the film sector in the Kingdom. Furthermore, the Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development, Najla al-Nomair, confirmed that the program came after a study of the incentives offered by various entities in the sector. Nomair pointed to the role of the financing program that complements the system of incentives to maximize the impact of financing solutions to support workers in the sector. For his part, the Director of the International Relations Department at the Fund, Abdullatif bin Youssef, said that the program targets local and international companies operating in the Saudi film sector through financing packages to support local content and enhance film production in the Kingdom. The fund also plans to launch the investment track later this year to boost investment in the sector and increase the contribution of the private and non-profit sectors to the development of the industry.