Dakota Johnson: Visit to Saudi Arabia “Renewed” My Faith in Cinema

Dakota Johnson has praised Saudi Arabia’s film industry, saying her recent visit to the country has “renewed” her faith in cinema. The Materialists star attended the Red Sea International Film Festival, which highlights emerging filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, and beyond.

Speaking at the festival, Johnson said she felt inspired by the work she saw. “The thing I feel about this festival is inspired. I feel inspired to operate this way in our own production company in the States; I want to support all these filmmakers,” she told attendees.

She added, “There’s so much I’m learning from being here,” and reflected on the difference between the filmmaking atmosphere in Saudi Arabia and the United States. “In the States it feels really grim; and even in the less than 24 hours that I’ve been here [in Saudi Arabia], I have a renewed faith in cinema.”

Saudi Arabia lifted a ban on cinemas in 2017 that had been in place for 35 years, opening new opportunities for filmmakers and audiences alike. Johnson has been vocal about her frustrations with Hollywood, describing the U.S. film industry as “boring” and “bleak.”

She criticized the cautious approach often taken by decision-makers. “People are just so afraid, and I’m like, ‘Why? What’s going to happen if you do something brave?’ It just feels like nobody knows what to do, and everyone’s afraid. That’s what it feels like. Everyone who makes decisions is afraid. They want to do the safe thing, and the safe thing is really boring,” she said last year.

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