Image Nation Abu Dhabi’s highly-anticipated feature comedy Shabab Sheyab opens in cinemas across the GCCon Thursday 22 November following a glowing reception to its UAE premiere at Atlantis The Palm.

Directed and written by Yasir Al-Yasiri, the family-friendly movie stars some of the region’s most beloved actors, including Saad Al Faraj, Marei Al Halian, Mansoor Al Feeli and Salloum Haddad, as four friends living in a senior citizens home. When one of them inherits a fortune, the ‘Four Musketeers’ escape for a life-changing adventure in Dubai, encouraged by their doctor and nurse, played by Kuwaiti stars Laila Abdullah and Fouad Ali.

Shabab Sheyab was the first GCC movie to play in Saudi Arabia following the opening of cinemas in the Kingdom this year and is now in its third week of sold-out screenings.

Writer and director Yasir Al-Yasiri said: “Shabab Sheyab celebrates living in the moment, and the warmth and humour that the cast brought to their performances have resonated with audiences everywhere we’ve shown it. At heart, the film is a love letter to Dubai and presents a uniquely UAE perspective on life, so this opening is a true homecoming and we’re delighted to share our excitement with communities across the region.”

Image Nation Abu Dhabi, one of the leading media and entertainment companies in the Middle East, welcomed regional celebrities and film industry leaders to Shabab Sheyab’s UAE premiere at Atlantis The Palm on 17 November. Stars attending included the film’s cast, actress and director Haya Abdulsalam, actor and comedian Shadi Alfons, Emirati filmmakers Ali Mostafa and Mohammed Saeed Harib.

Ben Ross, Chief Content Officer at Image Nation Abu Dhabi, said: “We’ve seen an incredible response toShabab Sheyabfrom audiences at our international and regional premieres, and from the Saudi public with sold-out showings in the Kingdom. The reaction demonstrates the market demand for high-quality Arabic-language entertainment that highlights relatable and relevant stories. This is what Image Nation is passionate about creating, and Shabab Sheyab is another testament to the level of creative, technical and storytelling talent we find in our region.”

Shabab Sheyabpremiered at the prestigious Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 2018.

Image Nation is the studio behind Shabab Sheyab, and the film is produced by Rami Yasin’s Breakout Films and Starship Entertainment – a partnership between Al Yasiri and Al Feeli. Tanweer Films is distributing the film across the MENA region.

The cast includes: prominent Kuwaiti actor Saad Al Faraj; Salloum Haddad, the ‘elder statesman’ of regional acting;popular Emirati star Marei Al Halian; and the beloved Mansoor Al Feeli, who also served as Executive Producer. Popular Kuwaiti actor Fouad Ali and actress/model Laila Abdullah also star.

The film will screen at cinemas across the GCC, including:

• UAE
• KSA
• Kuwait
• Bahrain
• Oman
• Iraq