Imagenation Abu Dhabi Taps The Coming Of Age Story ’Sea Shadow’ As First Emirati Film Project

Top director Nawaf Al-Janahi to shoot Sea Shadow this Fall

Imagenation Abu Dhabi announced that the drama Sea Shadow will be the first in a series of exciting Emirati film projects to be developed, financed and produced by the company.

Directed by acclaimed Emirati film director Nawaf Al-Janahi, and written by Mohamed Hassan Ahmad, Sea Shadow is an endearing coming of age story which centers on first love, family relationships, and deeply-rooted values. The project is scheduled to begin shooting in the UAE in October/November 2010.

Abu Dhabi based Al-Janahi, 33, has directed and produced several highly acclaimed films, including the short Mirrors of Silence and full-length feature, The Circle, which premiered at the Gulf Film Festival in 2009.

Sea Shadow is set in an Emirati neighborhood (Fireej), where traditions and the local culture make it harder to express love and emotions openly. The story follows 16 year-old teens Mansour and Kaltham, who commence a journey of self discovery that takes them from Ras al Khaimah all the way to Abu Dhabi after life in their little fireej is shaken up by misunderstandings, mix-ups, and wrong decisions. Will Mansoor win Kaltham’s heart?

H.E. Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Imagenation Abu Dhabi remarked: “Sea Shadow is a significant milestone in the evolution of the film industry in the UAE. This film signals our determination to help grow a generation of filmmakers whose work is of a quality and standard to appeal both to local and regional audiences, and which is powerful enough to resonate with discerning movie goers internationally.”

Edward Borgerding, CEO of Imagenation Abu Dhabi, said: “It’s our goal to be the media and entertainment group of choice in the Arab world. Films like Sea Shadow help us advance that ambition and also help us to nurture and attract the home-grown talent which are key to the future of the creative and media industry in the region.”

Director Nawaf Al-Janahi added: “We want the world’s movie industry to sit up and take notice of what we are doing here in the Emirates. Sea Shadow will help us do that. It is a perfect showcase for our local acting and filmmaking talent and offers genuine cultural insights which should be at the heart of all good films.”

Imagenation Abu Dhabi is committed to developing the film industry in the UAE by producing films with Emirati content and talent, encouraging the growth of Emirati filmmakers, and advancing the quality of film production in the region. The company has a number of international partnerships which have allowed it to bring best-in-class experience and expertise back to the UAE to both develop local content and work closely with local talent, sharing the skills of Hollywood and the international production community with the industry in the UAE. Sea Shadows is the first film in a slate of Emirati films that Imagenation Abu Dhabi is committed to producing in the UAE.
 

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