RIYADH, Oct 17: A major first step seems to have been taken. Public screening of cartoons - exclusively for women and children - will begin in Saudi Arabia after Eid-ul-Fitr.

The Saudi government had banned public screening of films 20 years ago.

An official from the firm handling the project told newsmen on Monday that Saudi Arabia’s first cinema would open on Eid day, but it would screen cartoons only. The cinema will be housed in a hotel in Riyadh.

The 1,400-seat cinema will hold three one-hour shows to screen foreign cartoon films dubbed into Arabic. Organizers expect that about 50,000 people would visit the cinema during the two-week Eid break.

A newspaper speculated that the project was a prelude to the start of mainstream cinema in Saudi Arabia. It said some major malls also plan to start screening films once permission is granted.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the Gulf region to have banned cinema. Many people - Saudis and expatriates alike - often visit nearby Bahrain during the weekend to watch movies.