A film on UAE's 1990 World Cup heroes

UAE players celebrate their entry into the 1990 World Cup.

Published: Mon 7 Nov 2016, 8:36 PM

Last updated: Mon 7 Nov 2016, 10:40 PM

The world premiere of a documentary about the UAE national football team's qualification for the World Cup in Italy in 1990 will be held at the DOC NYC film festival in the US in November.
The film, produced Image Nation and called The Lights of Rome, captures an important moment in Emirati history on October 28, 1989, when the unfancied team beat all odds to qualify for the tournament in Italy.
On Monday the first look of Lights of Rome was released as a trailer. The 1990 UAE team's average age was 19, and the country was also just 19 years old, according to a report by WAM.
"The Lights of Rome is one of our films that is so close to my heart as it tells the story of my childhood. This film is not only another entertaining and informative documentary to add to our slate, it will serve as a historical document that finally details the legacy of what those players achieved for UAE and Middle East football," said Mohammed Al Mubarak, chairman of Image Nation Abu Dhabi.
The documentary includes interviews with UAE Football legends Ali Thani, Abdulrahman Al Haddad and Khalid Ismail, who scored the now legendary goal against West Germany.
The documentary will premiere in New York on November 17, with theatrical release and UAE premiere dates to be announced soon.
The documentary, which preserves an important moment in Emirati history, tells the true underdog story of how the UAE national football team pulled off a miracle by qualifying for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
The film interviews UAE Football legends Ali Thani, Abdulrahman Al-Haddad and Khalid Ismaïl - who scored the now legendary goal against West Germany, amongst others team members.
The film, which will have its World Premiere at pretsgious docuemntary film festival DOC NYC later this month, will be released in cinemas across the UAE on December 1st, just in time for National Day. The film was directed by sports journalist Ali Khaled and produced by critically acclaimed filmmaker Stevan Riley (Fire in Babylon, Listen to Me Marlon).