Location Agreements in Saudi Arabia

Saudi location agreements are jurisdiction-specific in a way that differs from most countries. Mainland Kingdom shoots sign location releases under Saudi Film Commission frameworks. Ministry of Culture planning handles UNESCO sites.

Here is how this works in practice. The three UNESCO sites each anchor a sub-region. Hegra (Madain Salih) is the Nabataean tomb tricky (UNESCO 2008) — the second-largest Nabataean city after Petra Jordan. Diriyah Al-Turaif District (UNESCO 2010) is the birthplace of the first Saudi state. Historic Jeddah Al-Balad (UNESCO 2014) is the Hejazi rawashin-build style port district. It anchors RSIFF each December.

Here is the short of it. AlUla shoots sign agreements with Film AlUla under the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). That is fully separate forms from the Saudi Film Commission. AlUla coverage has Hegra, Elephant Rock, Maraya (the mirrored concert hall), Dadan, Ikmah, and the wider heritage and adventure corridor.

Here is the breakdown. NEOM shoots sign location agreements with the NEOM authority. Their coverage has Sindalah island, The Line corridor, Trojena mountain resort, Bajdah Studios, and NEOM Bay. The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) handles capital-city closures around Kingdom Centre Tower, Al Faisaliah Centre, and Diriyah.

Here is what that looks like on the ground. Standard commercial terms across Saudi releases cover the usual set. The list has filming dates, exclusivity clauses, and depiction rights (above all around UNESCO sites and royal-family-associated heritage). Restoration covenants, indemnification, and force majeure language all apply too. Force majeure is tuned to sandstorm (haboob), summer heat shutdown, and Ramadan-month restructuring.

Here is how the picture comes as one. Religious-site agreements are unusually constrained. The Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina prohibit non-Muslim access within the Haram boundary fully. No film access exists for non-Muslim crew. Productions covering pilgrimage exterior context route through the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Information.

Here is what we have to work with. Several other authorities handle specific landscapes. Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) and Empty Quarter desert shoots clear with the Saudi Geological Survey. The General Authority for Tourism. Red Sea and Farasan Islands marine shoots clear with the Saudi Coast Guard. The National Center for Wildlife. Asir Mountains shoots around Abha clear with the Asir Region City. The General Authority for Tourism. We draft Arabic-and-English two-tongue releases. Arabic is the legally binding language under Saudi commercial law.