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19 March 2024

Emirati film 'Going to Heaven' hits theatres this weekend

Published
By Sneha May Francis

Emirati family drama ‘Going To Heaven’, which trails the journey of a young boy as he looks for family love, is set to hit theatres this weekend across the UAE.

The movie, produced by Abu Dhabi-based film company Image Nation, won the ‘Best Emirati Feature Film’ award at last year’s Dubai International Film Festival (Diff).

Talking about what inspired him to write this script, Al Murry said, “I’m passionate about our culture so it made it a lot easier to write about it. The film highlights the challenges we are facing in the community, represented by the lack of traditional communications between family members and the control of technology on our lives at the same time.”

The title, he elaborated, is inspired by what the boy is seeking for. “The child is looking for tenderness and kindness from his lost grandmother. And those qualities are a representation of heaven.”

‘Going to Heaven’ captures a young Sultan and his best friend Saud as they travel across the Emirates to find his estranged grandmother. From Abu Dhabi to Fujairah via Dubai, Sultan and Saud demonstrate the importance of family and friendship against the landmarks and backdrop of the beautiful country.

The boys - Sultan and Saud - are played by real-life brothers Jumaa Ibrahim and Ahmed Ibrahim Al Zaabi.

Al Murry accepted that the real challenge was finding Sultan and Saud. “We actually met the boys by coincidence, and decided to cast them,” he said, adding, “Since the children did not have any previous acting experience, we had to train them for around 4 months before filming.”

The world premiere was held in Abu Dhabi on Monday, and a special screening was held in Dubai on Tuesday, which saw director Saeed Salmeen Al Murry and producer Amer Salmeen Al Murry showcase the film with lead actors Jumma and Ahmed Ibrahim Al Zaabi, and actress Fatima Al Taei (Qalb Al Adala) walk the red-carpet. Other celebrities in attendance included actor Mansoor Al Feeli (‘Zinzana’) and director Khalid Al Mahmoud (‘Celebration of Life’).