CANNES: Image Nation Abu Dhabi, MBC studios and Majid Al-Futtaim Ventures on Wednesday announced they will be launching a production partnership for film and TV projects across the Middle East that will greenlight several projects annually.
Members of the press from around the world gathered in a hotel in Cannes on Wednesday morning as a partnership was announced between film and entertainment company Image Nation Abu Dhabi, MBC studios, which spearheads the Saudi company’s push into high-end Arabic scripted content, and Majid Al-Futtaim Ventures.
The partnership will support projects from inception to distribution and will focus on Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. On Wednesday, it was announced that the first film supported by the new partnership is called “Three Four Eternity,” a vampire family drama by director Mohamed Hefzy.
L to R: Michael Garin, CEO, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Khaled El Chidiac, Acting CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Ventures and Peter Smith, Managing Director, MBC Studios attended a press conference during the Cannes International Film Festival to announce a production and distribution partnership for film & TV projects in the Middle East.
CEO of Image Nation Abu Dhabi Michael Garin, Managing Director of MBC studios Peter Smith and CEO of Majid Al-Futtaim Ventures Khaled El-Chidiac were on hand to make the announcement at The Grand Hotel in Cannes.
“This region has had the talent but it hasn’t had the resources and infrastructure until now,” Garin said during the panel discussion.
“Part of this partnership is promoting movies and films for Saudi Arabia,” El-Chidiac added.
Ali Jaafar from the MBC Group added his hopes that the platform would launch new Arab stars.
“We want to launch a new generation of Arab film stars… We haven’t had one since Omar Sharif,” he said, before adding, “How can we take kids from Saudi Arabia or Dubai and turn them into big stars? The talent is there.”
The news was revealed on the sidelines of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival which kicked off on Tuesday evening and will run until May 25.
