The Politics of Representation in New Saudi Arabian Cinema

Textual analyses of Saudi Arabian films serve to deepen our understanding of the shifting boundaries of permissibility that exist between artists and the state. Where new cultural industries have been developed as part of broader national efforts toward economic diversification, Saudi auteurs such as Meshal Al-Jaser have sought to use film to facilitate society-wide discussions on contentious issues such as war, women’s rights and religion. These priorities intersect at the point where social liberalization is conducive with job market expansion and the new globally projected image of moderate Saudi nationalism. Yet the tentative exploration of boundaries plays out in much finer detail on the screen, pointing to how new freedoms give rise to new forms of representation in the cinematic treatment of Saudi history and politics. Al-Jaser’s first feature film, Naga , defers polemical commentary on the capricious bond between state and religion through its use of symbolism and multi-genre aesthetics. As a text, it highlights the cultural interplay between filmmakers and the state, as well as the repertoire of tactics that artists may use to facilitate discussion and positive social changes.