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Filipino producer to start filming movie on Dubai

DUBAI — Dubai has emerged as a hot destination for film shooting for producers across the world, and has also piqued the interest of a Filipino movie producer who has made the emirate as the prime location of the movie titled Dubai.

Dubai's breathtaking skyline, an eclectic mix of people from almost every part of the world, and impressive infrastructure have made the emirate a sought-after destination for films of all kind, ranging from family-oriented topics to search for a decent living and earning.

Presently, at least six movies are being shot at different locations in the emirate, including from the Philippines, India and Pakistan, according to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

Dubai, a Filipino movie under Star Cinema which stars Aga Muhlach, John Lloyd Cruz and Claudine Barretto. Directed by Rory Quintos, it starts filming today and will run for a total of 17 days. Other scenes of the movie will be shot in Manila.

Commenting on this positive development, Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, Manager Media Relations, at the DTCM, said: “We are promoting Dubai overseas as an ideal location for business and leisure. In the recent years, we have handled several requests for film and TV serial shooting. We ensure that Dubai gets the best realistic exposure through the visual medium as images create more impact than the written words and amply conveys the destination’s beauty and appeal. We will be working in tandem with other organisations to promote Dubai as a film producers’ paradise. ‘Shot in Dubai’ has its own appeal when it comes to film-goers.”

Several movie producers in Indian language movies, especially Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu, had chosen Dubai as a prime location. This is in addition to a number of Subcontinent television serials. A number of Arabic movies too were shot in Dubai, especially from Egypt. Tess Fuentes of Star Cinema and producer of Dubai, for her part, told Khaleej Times in an interview yesterday: “Dubai is an 'open' city and is home to thousands of overseas Filipino workers,” Tess Fuentes of Star Cinema and producer of Dubai, told Khaleej Times.

The movie is scheduled for completion in June this year, for showing in Philippine cinemas by August or September this year. It will be shown simultaneously in the Middle East, and is expected to also grace cinemas in Milan, London and the US.

“Tomorrow (today), we will start shooting early in the morning in the desert. Aga and John Lloyd will be there, while Claudine is expected to join the actors and the crew by late afternoon,” she said.

Fuentes, who also produced a top grossing film Anak (Child) in Hong Kong in the 1990s, further disclosed: “The film is about two brothers, Raffy (Aga Muhlach) and Andrew (John Lloyd) who fall in love with the same woman (Claudine). In January this year, we went here and conducted interviews. Dubai is in fact based on a true story about overseas Filipino workers in pursuit of their dreams of a better life, and of love.”

Khaleej Times had earlier interviewed Olivia Lamasan, the director of Milan, who was invited at the first-ever Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) held in December last year. Lamasan, who also interviewed a number of OFWs in Milan for the movie, had disclosed that another director (Rory Quintos) was to do the project (Dubai) in early 2005.