Saudi cinemas to screen ´The Message´ four decades after ban

DUBAI: "The Message", Syrian-American director Moustafa Akkad´s epic film about Prophet Mohammed, will be screened for the first time in Saudi cinemas on Thursday -- four decades after an initial ban.

"Knowing that there were so many difficulties... , now that they´re showing it in the theatres I couldn´t be happier," Akkad´s son told AFP.

The 1976 film has been widely-watched in the Arab world since its release.

But it was banned in the land of Islam´s holiest sites and boycotted by conservatives for its depiction of the prophet and his companions.

"It caused a lot of controversy and there were a lot of obstacles put in its way," said Akkad´s son, Malik Moustafa Akkad, noting it remains banned in Kuwait.

Saudi Arabia lifted a longstanding ban on cinemas last year, part of an easing of social restrictions pushed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi theatres will now screen a restored version of the 1976 epic, produced from the film´s original negatives.

"Even if you´ve seen the film, you´ve never seen it look this good," said Akkad´s son.

The late director "always intended it to be a big-screen event. And that´s the way to see it", he added.

Profits from the screenings will support a scholarship fund for filmmakers from the region to study at Moustafa Akkad´s alma mater, the University of Southern California.

The Aleppo-born director perished with his daughter in the 2005 Amman hotel bombings claimed by Al-Qaeda that cost dozens of lives.