Fifteen years ago, director Ali Mostafa revealed his cinematic vision of what UAE cinema could be.it was called city of life – When it was a vast, multicultural crowd-pleaser that captured the attention of audiences like no other, filling theaters to capacity, Ali knew that its success would benefit both him and the emerging industry. I realized it was just the beginning.
He believed that the UAE could be home to a story that unites the world. Six years after he last stepped behind the camera to direct a narrative feature, he has finally taken the next step in his journey, producing a series unlike any this country has ever produced. did.
The name of the program is Hataf, which premiered on Abu Dhabi Television on Tuesday, marks a turning point in television production in the country. The character-based martial arts drama follows a UAE-based MMA fighter's unexpected rise to prominence in Asia's underground martial arts scene.
“from city of life Since then, we've been trying to raise the bar for filmmaking here,” says Ali. The National. “But what happened was that the TV series stayed the same. Hatafwe are setting a new benchmark for television in the Emirates.
“I want people all over the UAE to watch this series and think, ‘Yes, I can do this.’ With a limited budget, we pushed ourselves further than anyone thought possible and really created something special.
“I believe Hataf will show the world that there is no excuse to create something of true quality that can compete with work being made anywhere in the world, on any platform. We want to prove that the Emirates can also produce great television programs that the world wants to see. ”
HatafThe film, directed entirely by Ali, is ambitious in more ways than one. Shot in Abu Dhabi and Thailand, the project took several months to complete. The grueling shoot required Ali and his cast and crew to work day and night, shooting up to 15 pages of the script per day, which was far beyond the norm.
More importantly, it's a show that takes MMA and the wider martial arts world seriously, with expertly choreographed bouts with a remarkable realism rarely seen on television. To do all this correctly required an actor who had to be a skilled fighter.
When the producers asked Ali if he knew an actor from the United Arab Emirates who could lead a show like this, he said he had not only the physical ability but also the acting skills to convey the raw emotions of a harrowing journey. However, there was only one person that came to mind. Coincidentally, he was also the first actor Ali worked with when he was a kid and still had a Super 8 video camera. It was his younger brother, Mohamed Faisal Mostafa.
“I thought he was born to play this role,” Ali says.
Mohamed's 30-year journey to leading roles
That may not be just an exaggeration.He became the first Emirati actor to appear in a major international streaming series, while appearing alongside Idris Elba in the popular Apple TV+ show. hijack Last year, his journey in both movies and sports started much earlier.
After all, he was in Ali's movies before he could talk or walk.
“When it was just me, I used to make movies with toys and VHS cameras,” Ali laughs. “And when my brothers Mohamed and Omar were born, I welcomed two new cast members to all of my productions.”
Ali recalls drawing a tiny goatee on young Mohammed for starring in the amateur mafia epic da mobor cast him in shorts baby batman and Baby Bond.
Mohamed remembers those days fondly, adding: “Ali's dream was always to become a film director. He cast me in films and taught me how to act. I had fun every time, but I was fixated on football.”
As he grew older, Mohamed almost habitually appeared in bit parts in Ali's films, but his heart remained on the pitch. Due to his natural athleticism, he achieved success as a professional goalkeeper with both Al Ain and Al Wasl football clubs. He also had a trial with a Premier League club. However, a series of serious injuries ended his dreams.
“I kept pushing,” Mohamed recalls. “We did everything we could to get there, and we got there. But sometimes it’s not meant to be. It feels like you’re trying to force open a door that can’t stay ajar.” I got 3' head fractures etc.
“I thought about what I could have done in my life to feel as authentic as I do on the pitch. Then I thought of Ali. The only answer was to shoot. That was when I was in the field. So I went back there.”
From there, a new ambition began.It was that desire that gave him this role. hijack. He played an Emirati air traffic controller searching for a missing woman in Dubai, and his immediate success set his sights even higher.
Mohammed says: “I was driving along Sheikh Zayed Road with a friend. hijack When he was released, I looked at him, pointed to the sign, and said: “That's me there.”
“But it was never just about me. It's about where we come from and what we represent. It's about ourselves, our families, and our It's about country. The more we can push the boundaries, the more people will stand up and say they want to be actors. We wanted to be a foundational part of something bigger.”
Beyond his natural athleticism, it's also Mohammed's own story that connects him to the film's protagonist. Hataf.
“I don't want to give too much away, but this is a guy who's going through a very similar journey to me. He ends up being alone and lonely in a place far from his comfort zone. But there he begins to find himself. He learns who he is and transforms into the person he was always destined to be: his final, better, more mature self. . I see so many similarities between us.”
To perform his own stunts in the series, Mohamed had to push himself harder than ever before, both on set and in the field. Years of Muay Thai and yoga prepared her to a certain extent, but she needed to get into the shape of a professional fighter. He trained with a man called Najmeddin (Scorpion in English) who is also on the show.
“This guy had a passion like no other to make every scene feel like a true mixed martial arts fight,” Ali says. “As much as he's an artist, he's also a real fighter. His drive pushed us all.”
But as physically demanding as it was, Mohamed had to prepare for his first real leading role. He had to go through a whole range of emotions and develop his skills beyond what he thought possible.
Ali says: “I said to Mohamed, 'You've never done a leading role before, have you?' This is a different beast. You have to carry this whole thing on your back. Every day.' He repeated to me, “I'm ready.''
Ali knew he could do it and pushed his brother as hard as he could every day on set. To her surprise, her experience was just as emotional for him.
“I remember when we were filming a very intense scene in a prison. There was an incredibly difficult moment and I had to ask Mohamed from behind the camera to put his whole being, every emotion into that moment. He was yelling at me to pour it in,” Ali recalls.
“I started screaming, ‘Cry!’ Cry!’ Then suddenly I had a flashback. I remembered the first real short story I had written, properly edited, around 1996. I remember shooting a scene with Mohamed. We left it on a failed VHS and kept shouting from behind the camera to my brother Mohamed, who was acting in that scene. ” Cry!” Cry! '”
“We both felt it,” Mohamed added. “In an instant, we were transported back nearly 30 years.”
Ali added: “Suddenly we realized how far we can come together.”
Ali's return to the story
Ali has also had a long journey in the film industry.he obeyed city of life With Road Dramady From A to B (2014), produced by Image Nation, Abu Dhabi. Next, he made an apocalyptic action-horror film. worthy person (2016), Mohammed also appeared in a supporting role.
But aside from one short film, this was his last time behind the camera telling stories. He was mainly looking forward to returning to commercial work and returning to film and television.he wrote city of life 2 Developing it in collaboration with filmmaker Faisal Hashmi, Ali is more determined than ever to get the project off the ground.
Ali says: “Commercial work is different. It's a job, you know? You're following someone else's vision, be it a client or an agency. I missed the narration. Perhaps this is the first time in my life It was the most intense four months. The most difficult and challenging work I've ever done. But it was also the most rewarding.”
Mohamed added: “Every day on set, he was floating. I looked at him so happy. It's amazing to see someone doing what they love. He is a leader and a born artist.”
In many ways, Ali says his time away has helped him become a better person, giving him time to grow as a person and reflect on his mistakes both as a filmmaker and as a person. He's not the person he used to be, he says, and now, he says, he's finally ready to be the manager he always knew he could be.
Ali says: “I feel like I'm better. And I push myself through experiences like this. Hataf, I feel like I've gotten even better. I have more patience. I'm faster. I can solve the problem. I have new energy to do this. Now I can't wait until I'm on set again. ”
Ahead of the release of the first episode, Mohammed visited Ali's home in Dubai and had his brother show him the scene he couldn't wait to see. This was the most ambitious sequence they attempted, capturing an entire intricately choreographed battle in just one shot. Ali watched with pure elation. For Mohamed, it was something deeper. He saw how much of himself he had put into this show and knew, in the end, that it was all worth it.
Mohammed added: “We put literal blood, sweat and tears into Hataf. We all have the scars to prove how much we gave of ourselves to this. This series is everything we dreamed of. I loved every moment of it and I'm sure the world will too. ”
Khattaf will air on Abu Dhabi TV on March 26. Available on demand on the AD TV platform
Updated: March 26, 2024, 11:58 a.m.
