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The festival’s director underscored the fact that the entire festival “was under supervision” in accordance with the country’s media regulations, “with the event only trying to present cinema in a positive way.” Salem said a possible reason for the cancellation could be this was the first year the festival emphasized that it was showing films. “When it first started in 2006, organizers consciously called it the ‘Visual Exhibition Festival’ in order to avoid a backlash from conservative groups,” he said. “If it had remained under the old name ‘Visual Festival Exhibition’ then maybe this would not have happened.”

Salem said he made an effort to feature films that portray a positive image of Islam and to include films produced by conservative-minded people.

“We see Al Majd TV entered the festival with the movie ‘Eyes With No Sleep,’ which includes no music or actresses,” he said.

Fahd Al Osta, Saudi movie director and critic, said the cancellation is a “disappointment.”

“The decision (to cancel the festival) came as a surprise to those who are familiar with Saudi society, which has already accepted the concept of cinema,” he said. “Canceling the festival on the day of its opening is shocking and it will affect future activities even if they are under government sponsorship.”

Al Osta said the Saudi cinema movement had affected local movie production positively, both in quantity and quality. In April, Saudi director Waleed Othman won second place for “The Revenge” in the Second Gulf Film Festival in Dubai.

He said that the festival, despite disagreements between moviemakers about form and presentation, managed to create cinematic ambience while providing a gathering place for participants from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.

The film festival would have encouraged investors to invest in opening cinema theaters in the future, Al Osta said, adding that the decision “would now push their efforts 10 steps backward.”

First seen in Arab News.