The film is funded by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, which is a part of the Creative Media Authority. The Desert Rose Films and Fujairah Films joint venture on the feature film Mountain Boy will be available in cinemas all over the country on 17 April. The film will be produced by The Plot Pictures.
In honor of World Autism Month, which happens each year in April, the film will have its premiere in a special location in CinemaCity, in the capital, Abu Dhabi, on 15 April. This was done with all the cast and crew present, along with children and the staff of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Special Education in Abu Dhabi, the location where the casting team found Naser Salah. The film is about Suhail, a young Emirati kid who has autism and escapes to the Fujairah Mountains. Fujairah Mountains after his dad did not want him, not knowing his determination.
With dozens of Emiratis working on it, this is a truly local movie.
Desiring to locate his mother’s family members in Abu Dhabi, Suhail makes the long and arduous journey with his new companion, Barakah, the Arabian Saluki, to find acceptance, family, and redemption. Mountain Boy shows that Emiratis are tough when things are stacked against them.
Mohamed Dobay, currently Director General of the Creative Media Authority, said: “As part of our ongoing effort to build an international creative environment that is thriving in Abu Dhabi, identifying and advocating for projects that incorporate Emirati stories made in the UAE with a skilled Emirati cast and crews – is an important lynchpin for our efforts. We are incredibly pleased to sponsor a film such as Mountain Boy, which showcases the amazing Emirati tradition and culture while shining a spotlight and challenging the perceptions of autism, and gaining a number of international awards in the process.”
The film was shot entirely in the UAE and at various places, including Samaliyah Island and the mangroves of the capital, Dibba Mountain located in Fujairah along with the Telal Hotel in Al Ain, Mountain Boy is a tribute to Emirati tradition, culture and talent. There were more than 32 UAE-based businesses that were part of the creation of the film, that was shot over a period of 35 days in 2023.
Female Led team
Nancy Paton, CEO and the leader of Desert Rose Films, stated: “More than 232 crew were part of this film, with 70% of the crew being female. It was vital for us to stay true to the concept of Michele Ziolkowski’s moving original novel by using as many Emirati performers and cast members as possible. We conducted several castings to identify the perfect person to play Suhail and nearly gave all hope when Naser Salah, as well as his twin sister Reem, auditioned. We knew immediately that we had our leading actors. To soundtrack the film, we hired an all-female Firdaus Orchestra, which is based in the UAE and was founded in the name of the Highness Reem Al Hashimy, the Minister of State for International Cooperation of the UAE.”
Zainab Shaheen, who directed Mountain Boy and is an alumnus of the Higher Colleges of Technology, stated: “As my feature film directorial debut, I am incredibly happy to be directing a film that showcases a lot of our nation’s talent, including the places and talent to the captivating story along with social commentary. Being able to tell such a compelling and compelling story in such a visually striking way has always fueled and fueled my love of film and directing. It’s something that will be a constant in me throughout my entire career.”
Pratiksha Shah, co-founder of The Plot Pictures, said: “As young, next-generation distributors, our aim is to share local (GCC) tales to the world at large. Mountain Boy is a testament to this vision by blending the essence of the region, a rich narrative, and a rich cultural heritage while also shedding light on the crucial issue of neurodiversity as well as the distinct particularities of those across the spectrum. We are grateful to have been the primary catalyst in connecting this powerful tale to the people who watch it.”
Mountain Boy is among 180 major productions sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission in recent times, gaining from the variety of its locations, its pool of skilled professionals with award-winning facilities, and cashback rewards.
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