An Emirati-produced film is set to begin production to bring the UAE's history-making voyage into space to the big screen.
The Desert Beyond will chart the journey of the Arab World's first female astronaut as she prepares to reach for the stars.
The science-fiction drama will be rooted in reality, as it is inspired by the stellar success of Nora Al Matrooshi, who was selected as the region's inaugural woman astronaut in 2021.
The film is supported by Dubai Films and Games Commission and is being hailed as an example of the country's growth in the global media sector.
It will be executive produced by Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak, founder of Naiy Production House, an Emirati company focused on socially driven storytelling.
The movie is also being produced by Carla DiBello, founder of Arabia Plus, a UAE-based production company that aims to bring regional stories to an international market.
Ms DiBello is joined by award-winning producer Stephen Strachan, under his company Globa 3
Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker David Darg is to direct the 90-minute feature, which will be filmed in Dubai and across the UAE.
“The Dubai Films and Games Commission’s support for the project reflects our mission to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for media innovation," said Nehal Badri, Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council.
"It also aligns with our efforts to foster international collaboration, nurture industry talent, and showcase Dubai’s growing capabilities as a world-class ecosystem for media and film production.
"Our support also reaffirms our dedication to advancing women’s role as drivers of progress, not only within the media industry, but across all spheres of life. We are equally committed to enabling the film industry and the broader media sector to share stories about the UAE’s pioneering spirit that continue to inspire new generations to shape a brighter future.”
The Desert Beyond follows the trials, tribulations and triumphs of Maryam, a young Emirati engineer competing for the coveted role as the nation’s first female astronaut.
“The Desert Beyond was inspired by the extraordinary efforts of the UAE’s space programme and the courage of figures like Nora Al Matrooshi, the first Emirati female astronaut," said Ms Al Mubarak.
“This film celebrates transformation – personal, national, and generational. It’s about honouring our heritage as we take bold steps towards the future.”
Ms DiBello said the movie would put the remarkable achievements of the country's trailblazing women in the spotlight.
“A story like this has never been told on screen,” she said. “We’re bringing a female-driven story from the Arab world to a global audience – one that shows women not only breaking barriers, but defining what leadership and growth look like in the Middle East today.”
Launch pad for success
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Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla from the UAE are featured in Nasa's 2023 astronaut class photos. Photo: Anil Menon Twitter -
Ms Al Matrooshi and Mr Al Mulla featured in the Nasa 2023 astronaut class photos. Photo: Anil Menon Twitter -
The UAE’s latest astronauts will soon begin spacewalk training at Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. All photos: Mohammed Al Mulla Twitter -
The NBL pool is 12 metres deep and helps simulate microgravity, allowing trainees to work on a replica of the space station placed underwater. -
Nora Al Matrooshi, the UAE's first female astronaut, and Mohammed Al Mulla (third to right) completed training on the T-6A aircrafts. Now, they begin training on the T-38 Talon, supersonic jets that help prepare astronauts for spaceflight. Here, they are pictured with their Nasa colleagues, who are also in training. Photo: Anil Menon Instagram -
UAE's four astronauts at the Expo 2020 Dubai in 2021. Photo: Mohammed AL Mulla Instagram -
UAE's first female astronaut Nora Al Matrooshi attends her colleague Sultan Al Neyadi's launch to the ISS in Florida. Sarwat Nasir / The National -
Hazza Al Mansouri (left), Nora Al Matrooshi (second to left), Sultan Al Neyadi (right) and Mohammed Al Mulla together for the first time at Nasa Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Photo: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
The UAE has taken a huge leap forward in the global space race in recent years.
Hazza Al Mansouri etched his name in the record books when he became the first Emirati to journey into space in 2019.
Sultan Al Neyadi, who was part of the backup crew for that momentous mission to the International Space Station, later wrote his own name in the stars.
He spent six months on the ISS in September 2023, completing the Arab world’s first extended mission – and being the first astronaut from the region to perform a spacewalk.
Ms Al Matrooshi and Emirati colleague Mohammed Al Mulla – who make up the country's four-strong space fleet – completed two years of astronaut training with Nasa last year.
The UAE’s Hope probe completed four years in orbit around Mars in February, while the country also has its sights firmly set on setting foot on the Moon.
The Desert Beyond is to begin casting shortly. Capstone Pictures is handling worldwide sales, while Front Row Filmed Entertainment will oversee distribution across the Middle East and North Africa.
