Imagenation to produce six Emirati films

Imagenation Abu Dhabi has unveiled a number of Emirati film projects that will be developed, financed and produced by the company. The films include the drama Million's Poet, the horror thriller Djinn, the adventure comedy Alaska, the romantic comedy Monsoon and the romance Alis and Aishas. The first film, the endearing coming of age story Sea Shadow, was announced last month at the Cannes Film Festival and will begin shooting in the UAE later this year with all six projects to be developed over the course of two years. "We are particularly proud to announce our slate of Emirati films as it solidly demonstrates our commitment to the film industry in the UAE," said Mohamed Khalaf al Mazrouei, the chairman of Imagenation Abu Dhabi. "With each of these films we will be working together with some of the most gifted talent in the UAE to produce high-quality films based on local content." The Imagenation Abu Dhabi CEO, Edward Borgerding, added: "We believe that each of the films on this slate has the potential to resonate with international movie audiences. Not only are we aiming to make commercially-viable films, but we are also hoping to share the local Emirati culture with movie-goers around the world." Stefan Brunner, the COO of Imagenation Abu Dhabi, said: "This initial line-up showcases the close relationships we have developed with some of the most talented filmmakers here in Abu Dhabi and throughout the UAE. "We are thrilled that they have chosen to collaborate with us on these universal stories; projects we believe will advance Emirati cinema and widen the scope of its appeal both regionally and internationally." *WAM Imagenation is part of Abu Dhabi Media Company, publisher of The National