RIYADH: The Saudi Film Commission is to stage an industry conference and exhibition in Riyadh later this year. Officials attending the recent Cannes International Film Festival announced that the first edition of the Saudi Film Confex would run from Oct. 1 to 4. The event, expected to attract movie-sector professionals from around the world, will include film exhibitions, workshops, and conference sessions, with one of the workshops focussing on self-development and skill enhancement. Investment and financing solutions, regulatory procedures, infrastructure development, film archiving, and the use of technology will be among conference topics for discussion. The commission’s chief executive officer, Abdullah Al-Eyaf, told the Saudi Press Agency: “Since the establishment of the Film Commission, we have come a long way in developing the film industry, and we are promised a prosperous future for it, as we continue to attract more production projects to the Kingdom, and we strive to launch the Saudi Film Confex.”