Disney's blockbuster "Black Panther" will be shown at a test screening in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, officially lifting a 35-year-long ban on movie theaters in the country.
The test screening will consist of a series of trial runs before the movie will be available to the wider public in May.
"It will be the first in a series of test screenings, attended by industry specialists, that will be held… to support final preparations for the opening of the cinema to the wider public," the information ministry's Center for International Communication said.
Earlier in April, Saudi authorities announced their decision to open the first cinema in over three decades in the country's capital of Riyadh, an initiative that is being put into practice on Wednesday.
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The move comes as a part of liberalization efforts driven by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and is a huge progress for the conservative kingdom.
The wide-ranging social reform program, among other things, includes enhanced support for sports and entertainment as well as new opportunities for women.
In particular, the country has at long last allowed women to drive and serve in the army as well as limiting the overwhelming powers of the religious police.
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In early March, the kingdom also saw the first ever female marathon take place in Saudi Arabia, which is yet another step in Saudi Arabia's universally-praised long-term modernization effort.
