A young Bahraini man in pursuit of Hollywood dreams is seeing stars with the release of his emotionally-charged drama, filmed at a world-famous studio in London.
Aziz Altamimi, a UK-based Bahraini filmmaker, is hoping to put the kingdom on the map with his latest film The Stars Align, filmed at Ealing Studios, the oldest continuously working film studio in the world, famous for classic comedies including Downton Abbey, The Ladykillers, The Lavender Hill Mob and Kind Hearts and Coronets.
“The desire to make films is in my blood, it is my life,” the third generation filmmaker told the GDN.
“Growing up, I have been surrounded by films my entire life.
“My grandfather Aziz Mandi was a makeup artist in the 60s to the early 2000s, my father Khaled Mandi was a music composer, my uncle Fahad Mandi was also in the film industry.
At just 22, Mr Altamimi already has quite a resume to his name, being involved in various capacities with industry giants such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Disney’s Kizazi Moto and Netflix’s The Black Prince.
He also directed Arsenal Football Club’s Arsenal Summer Camp and filmed Becoming the Queen of the North alongside his father who composed the film’s music.
The film’s poster
His latest work of art is an intense short film that explores the pursuit of perfection, power dynamics, and the complex interplay of dreams and reality in the cut-throat world of filmmaking.
The synopsis sent to the GDN reads: ‘Aspiring actress Sarah faces renowned director Laura’s demanding scrutiny. In a rollercoaster of emotions, Sarah strives to impress, showcasing vulnerability, determination, and a refusal to be just another face in the crowd’.
The film delves into the sacrifices one makes for art and the transformative power of a compelling performance.
What truly makes this film special however, is that the film in its entirety was shot in just eight hours.
“We were given the studio for just that amount of time,” Mr Altamimi said.
“I thought hard about what kind of film I wanted to make during that time period.
“The idea came to me to make a film about making a film, and it just snowballed from there.
“The studio itself was a source of inspiration. So I spent eight hours on set putting it together.
“We then screened the film to a test audience and many seem to think it is my best work so far.”
Mr Altamimi extended his appreciation to everyone involved in the film, especially to Bahraini executive producer Mohamed Fareed.
“He supported me and encouraged me every step of the way,” he said. “I learned a lot from him and I owe him so much.
“To have another Bahraini make the film with me was amazing, and I would love to see more and more Bahrainis get involved in the industry in the future.”
Mr Altamimi also extended his thanks to actresses Maeve Elmore (Sarah), Julia Florimo (Laura) and Rachel Stockdale (assistant), and to sound designer Cam Evans for pulling off what he calls ‘an insane film’.
He is currently working on plans to screen the film in Bahrain, the UK and the Middle East, possibly during upcoming special events or festivals.
He is also looking at a few streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, so that even more Bahrainis will be able to watch it.
His lofty ambitions do not stop there however, as he one day dreams on screening a film in the entertainment capital of the world – Hollywood.
Mr Altamimi dreams of showcasing a more positive representation of Arabs in cinema as a whole, away from stereotypical antagonising roles.
“Arab representation has always been seriously lacking on the big screen,” he said. “Arab actors are either always in the background, or they play the roles of a terrorist or a super rich oligarch, nothing in between.
“I want to tell the stories of regular Arab people, and I want Arabs to be portrayed in a more positive light. It will take plenty of work and dedication, but if given the opportunity, I will do it.
“Most Bahrainis and Arabs in general do not see filmmaking as a real job, and that is down to negative representations in mainstream media.”
The official trailer for The Stars Align is available for viewing on YouTube on Mr Altamimi’s channel Film With Aziz.
For more information, people can also visit his Instagram page @walkwithaziz.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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