Hollywood talent agency United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed up Emirati director Majid Al Ansari in a move the industry says is a landmark development for UAE filmmakers.
Al Ansari’s debut feature film, ‘Rattle The Cage’ (‘Zinzana’ in Arabic), which is produced by Abu Dhabi’s Image Nation, also has secured IM Global to manage its international sales and Cinetic Media for American domestic rights.
The high profile contracts will help Al Ansari emerge on the international film stage, industry website deadline.com reported.
“The attention Rattle The Cage (Zinzana) is attracting is testament to the strength of the film and Image Nation’s local slate,” Image Nation Abu Dhabi chief executive Michael Garin told the website.
“IM Global, Cinetic Media and UTA are the perfect partners to help us debut this film and its talented director, Majid Al Ansari, on the international stage.”
‘Rattle The Cage’ is a psychological thriller based on the story of a man (played by Ali Suliman, famous for ‘Paradise Now’ and ‘Homeland’) in a remote prison cell in Jordan, who is forced to play a madman’s game in order to save his family’s lives.
Emirati actors Ali Al Jabri, Abdullah Al Shehhi and Mansoor Al Feeli also co-star.
The movie is due to make its world premiere at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas later this month and has been selected to appear at the London Film Festival in October.
Al Ansari joins other prominent names at UTA, including household names such as Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Barbra Streisand, and Daniel Radcliffe.
