Dubai Film’s AWAKEN Premiers on Apple TV

Dubai, UAE

13 January 2022

A Shamal portfolio company, Dubai Film has announced the UAE and Middle East release of its internationally acclaimed pioneering time-lapse movie, AWAKEN, is now available on Apple TV.

AWAKEN, which has previously been released in the United States and Europe on Apple TV, explores humanity’s relationship with technology and the natural world. Shot entirely in 4K over five years in more than 30 countries, the film pioneers state-of-the-art time-lapse, slow motion, underwater, and aerial cinematography techniques to give audiences new eyes with which to see our world.

The internationally acclaimed film, which was shot in Dubai, is narrated by the American actress and singer, Liv Tyler -best known for her portrayal of Arwen Undómielin the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Portfolio Management Officer, Shamal Holding explained that “Shamal is a catalyst for long-term value creation wherever we operate. Dubai Film is one such reflection of our commitment to the extraordinary. It is one of our many investments strategically chosen to nurture talent and enrich people’s lives at home and abroad. The release of Dubai Film’s AWAKEN is a testament to this long-term strategy. It is a groundbreaking production which mirrors the city of Dubai’s spirit and energy in so many ways, and we are thrilled to have been able to play a part in nurturing film production here in the UAE. We will continue playing a role in Dubai’s vital role as the region’s film-making hub.”

Fundamental to the film’s extraordinary cinematography is the Director of AWAKEN, Tom Lowe who has pioneered cutting-edge time-lapse photography techniques and has previously been named Astronomy Photographer of the Year by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. He has also supported the design of the next generation of motion-control robotics and is currently developing a new film franchise.

Commenting on the movie, Tom Lowe said, “One of our early goals for AWAKEN was to make a film that could compete visually, on a spectacle level, against blockbusters like Avengers or Star Wars, but to shoot everything “in camera”, with no visual effects or compositing. AWAKEN is an exploration of the Earth, a celebration of Existence, and an Ode to the Cosmos.

To achieve the vision of AWAKEN, Lowe worked closely with Dubai Film to conceive and build several pieces of custom-made camera equipment and bespoke robotics systems, creating entirely new categories of filming techniques. Omar Obaid Eisa, General Manager, Dubai Film said, “Dubai Film is one of the largest production companies in the Middle East and since our launch in 2012, we have won multiple awards in the fields of photography and production. AWAKEN is a mesmerizing and deeply thought-provoking production that captures the spirit of the natural world in all its forms.”

Dubai Film has a diversified portfolio that covers artistic, cinematic, documentary, and sports film production. Based in United Arab Emirates, Dubai Film is a full-service production company that melds technological wizardry with a passion to create art.