The feature will tell the story of a legendary Arabian warrior and celebrated poet.
Simon West, the UK director of Con Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, is set to film historic drama Antara in Saudi Arabia’s Neom.
Based on a true story, the feature centres on Antara ibn Shaddad, an imprisoned warrior who won his freedom to become a knight and one of the most celebrated poets in Arabian history.
The film is co-produced by Irish writer and producer Alexander Amartei. Celtic Films Entertainment CEO Stuart Sutherland is also a co-producer through his Jeddah-based production company Celtic Arabia.
Simon West, the UK director of Con Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, is set to film historic drama Antara in Saudi Arabia’s Neom.
Based on a true story, the feature centres on Antara ibn Shaddad, an imprisoned warrior who won his freedom to become a knight and one of the most celebrated poets in Arabian history.
The film is co-produced by Irish writer and producer Alexander Amartei. Celtic Films Entertainment CEO Stuart Sutherland is also a co-producer through his Jeddah-based production company Celtic Arabia.
- 9/3/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
British director Simon West is set to direct Saudi Arabia-set epic “Antara” that will be shot in Neom, the sprawling production hub in Saudi Arabia’s northwestern corner.
The English-language blockbuster, based on Arab history, is the tale of Antara ibn Shaddad, a slave warrior who was propelled to mythical status in the sixth century after winning his freedom and becoming a beloved knight and a widely celebrated Bedouin poet in the region.
“Antara,” which was announced during the Venice Film Festival — where there is a strong Saudi industry presence — is co-produced by Irish entrepreneur, writer and producer Alexander Amartei. British producer Stuart Sutherland, CEO of Celtic Films Entertainment, is co-producing through his Celtic Arabia shingle. Sutherland, whose credits include “Killing Eve” and Saudi-set “Born a King,” co-produced recently released action thriller “Kandahar,” starring Gerard Butler, which was also shot in the kingdom.
The budget on “Antara,” which is bound to be substantial,...
The English-language blockbuster, based on Arab history, is the tale of Antara ibn Shaddad, a slave warrior who was propelled to mythical status in the sixth century after winning his freedom and becoming a beloved knight and a widely celebrated Bedouin poet in the region.
“Antara,” which was announced during the Venice Film Festival — where there is a strong Saudi industry presence — is co-produced by Irish entrepreneur, writer and producer Alexander Amartei. British producer Stuart Sutherland, CEO of Celtic Films Entertainment, is co-producing through his Celtic Arabia shingle. Sutherland, whose credits include “Killing Eve” and Saudi-set “Born a King,” co-produced recently released action thriller “Kandahar,” starring Gerard Butler, which was also shot in the kingdom.
The budget on “Antara,” which is bound to be substantial,...
- 9/3/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Con-Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider director Simon West will shoot his upcoming historic drama Antara in Saudi Arabia in the country’s growing production hub of Neom.
Based on a true story, the film revolves around Antara ibn Shaddad, an imprisoned warrior who was propelled to stardom in the sixth century, both as a knight and a poet.
The film is co-produced by writer and producer Alexander Amartei and producer Stuart Sutherland. Sutherland has experience of working in Saudi Arabia, having been a co-producer on the Gerard Butler-starring action picture Kandahar, which also shot in the country.
The production is scheduled to spend 12 weeks at Neom in northwest Saudi Arabia from early 2024.
The film will tap into Neom’s 40% cash rebate for feature films, TV dramas, reality shows, documentaries and commercials. It will be based at Neom...
Based on a true story, the film revolves around Antara ibn Shaddad, an imprisoned warrior who was propelled to stardom in the sixth century, both as a knight and a poet.
The film is co-produced by writer and producer Alexander Amartei and producer Stuart Sutherland. Sutherland has experience of working in Saudi Arabia, having been a co-producer on the Gerard Butler-starring action picture Kandahar, which also shot in the country.
The production is scheduled to spend 12 weeks at Neom in northwest Saudi Arabia from early 2024.
The film will tap into Neom’s 40% cash rebate for feature films, TV dramas, reality shows, documentaries and commercials. It will be based at Neom...
- 9/3/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Key members of the team that shepherded hit biopic “Born a King,” about Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, talked about the experience of “witnessing the birth of a film industry” in Saudi, as Spanish director Agustí Villaronga put it, during a Cannes Virtual Market panel. They also announced that they will be making a sequel.
“Born a King” is a Spain-u.K. co-production between Andrés Vicente Gómez’ Latido Films and London-based Celtic Films run by producer Stuart Sutherland (“Killing Eve”) who described the experience of shooting the roughly $21 million feature – which went into production prior to December 2017 when Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year ban on cinemas – as “really the beginning of an evolution.”
“We are getting in there on the ground level, and we are helping formulate how films are done,” Sutherland said “And learning a lot from them as well,” he added.
Since then, Sutherland recently went back to...
“Born a King” is a Spain-u.K. co-production between Andrés Vicente Gómez’ Latido Films and London-based Celtic Films run by producer Stuart Sutherland (“Killing Eve”) who described the experience of shooting the roughly $21 million feature – which went into production prior to December 2017 when Saudi Arabia lifted its 35-year ban on cinemas – as “really the beginning of an evolution.”
“We are getting in there on the ground level, and we are helping formulate how films are done,” Sutherland said “And learning a lot from them as well,” he added.
Since then, Sutherland recently went back to...
- 6/25/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Madrid — Four years in the making, Agustí Villaronga’s “Born a King,” starring Ed Skrein (“Deadpool”) and Hermione Cornfield (“Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation”) and produced by Andrés Vicente Gómez, has caught box office fire in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Released wide on Sept. 26, the true events-based historical drama – framing the coming of age of Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, against the background of a diplomatic mission he led to London in 1919 at the tender age of 13 – has earned an exceptional first-four-day $972, 962 in UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, according to figures from its distributor, Dubai’s-based Vox Film Distribution.
The lion’s share of that was made in UAE, where it grossed $547,725.
However execrating for an independent film, the results are not totally surprising. “Born a King” is a Spain-u.K. production, whose producers, director and crew pack huge experience: Gómez, producer of Fernando Trueba’s...
Released wide on Sept. 26, the true events-based historical drama – framing the coming of age of Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, against the background of a diplomatic mission he led to London in 1919 at the tender age of 13 – has earned an exceptional first-four-day $972, 962 in UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, according to figures from its distributor, Dubai’s-based Vox Film Distribution.
The lion’s share of that was made in UAE, where it grossed $547,725.
However execrating for an independent film, the results are not totally surprising. “Born a King” is a Spain-u.K. production, whose producers, director and crew pack huge experience: Gómez, producer of Fernando Trueba’s...
- 10/4/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Born a King
Agusti Villaronga’s ninth feature Born a King should be ready for 2019 in what stands as one of the Spanish filmmaker’s largest productions in some time. Produced by Stuart Sutherland of Celtic Entertainment, Andres Vincent Gomez of Lola Films and Marco Gomez and lensed by Josep M. Civit (of Villaronga’s Uncertain Glory and The King of Havana), the period piece stars Ed Skrein, Abdullah Khaleel (in his film debut), Hermione Corfield, James Fleet, Kenneth Cranham, Ruben Ochandiano and Laurence Fox.…...
Agusti Villaronga’s ninth feature Born a King should be ready for 2019 in what stands as one of the Spanish filmmaker’s largest productions in some time. Produced by Stuart Sutherland of Celtic Entertainment, Andres Vincent Gomez of Lola Films and Marco Gomez and lensed by Josep M. Civit (of Villaronga’s Uncertain Glory and The King of Havana), the period piece stars Ed Skrein, Abdullah Khaleel (in his film debut), Hermione Corfield, James Fleet, Kenneth Cranham, Ruben Ochandiano and Laurence Fox.…...
- 1/2/2019
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Saudi Arabia’s dive into the world of entertainment continues apace.
Ten days after “Black Panther” ended the country’s 35-year cinema ban, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday inaugurated construction of the new Qiddiya entertainment complex outside the capital, Riyadh, on a site described as being two-and-a-half times the size of Disney World. The complex will offer everything from theme parks to car-racing.
And on Monday, what’s being touted as the country’s first full-service production facility, Nebras Films, announced that it is now up and running, and hoping to attract international productions.
The Qiddiya ground-breaking ceremony on Saturday, attended by about 300 dignitaries from around the world included a recitation from the Quran, a live orchestra, fireworks, and an opening address from Qiddiya CEO Michael Reininger, who called it a watershed moment, according to a press statement.
“In creating Qiddiya, we are building a brighter future,...
Ten days after “Black Panther” ended the country’s 35-year cinema ban, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday inaugurated construction of the new Qiddiya entertainment complex outside the capital, Riyadh, on a site described as being two-and-a-half times the size of Disney World. The complex will offer everything from theme parks to car-racing.
And on Monday, what’s being touted as the country’s first full-service production facility, Nebras Films, announced that it is now up and running, and hoping to attract international productions.
The Qiddiya ground-breaking ceremony on Saturday, attended by about 300 dignitaries from around the world included a recitation from the Quran, a live orchestra, fireworks, and an opening address from Qiddiya CEO Michael Reininger, who called it a watershed moment, according to a press statement.
“In creating Qiddiya, we are building a brighter future,...
- 4/30/2018
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.