RIYADH: The Saudi Film Commission is to host a virtual meeting, “The Future of Children’s Cinema in the Arab Region,” on Thursday. The commission is one of the cultural development entities established by the Ministry of Culture. Its objectives include developing the Saudi film sector and its production environment, along with motivating and empowering local filmmakers. The topics of discussion will include the role of cinema in children’s psychological, educational, and cultural development, along with its influence on youngsters, and the overall role of filmmakers in this field. The meeting is part of a series of discussions and conferences organized by the commission and featuring professionals and stakeholders who are interested in the genre and efforts to boost and improve filmmaking in the Kingdom. The commission aims to enrich communication with the film industry by encouraging open dialogue to exchange experiences and knowledge, and to learn about filmmakers’ needs and proposals. It is hoped that the dialogue will generate creative suggestions from specialists that could be helpful in developing the sector. The commission has introduced several initiatives in the past, including the Daw’ Film Competition, Filmmakers’ Program, and 101 Film Studio.