The UAE’s first home-produced, feature-length science fiction movie hits cinemas this weekend.
Alien invasion thriller Aerials, which will be hoping to give international movies such as the upcoming Star Trek Beyond and last year's Star Wars: episode VII – The Force Awakens, which filmed scenes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively, a run for their money, reunites Emirati producer Ghanem Ghoubash with Dubai-based director S A Zaidi, who previously worked together on the 2013 short film The Sons of Two Suns.
Aerials stars veteran Emirati actor Monsoor Al Feeli and Djinn's Abeer Mohammed. A trailer was unveiled at the Middle East Film and Comic Con last year, which showed spaceships hovering menacingly over the Burj Khalifa.
The production team returned to the this year's event, in April, where they unveiled the movie's poster. Zaidi told us then that they were "hoping" for a summer cinema release – which is about to come to fruition.
The movie – which features English and Arabic dialogue and subtitles – will be screening at Vox Cinemas Yas Mall and Mall of the Emirates from Thursday, June 16. For other cinemas, check online listings.
cnewbould@thenational.ae