TimeOut Dubai Kids – June 2019

Time Out UAE Kids June 2019 69

then again, Image Nation is not a conventional

production company. The Abu Dhabi-based

group have a broad repertoire of films such

as Keeping Up with the Joneses, Rings, Men

in Black 3 and Contagion. They first tasted

Oscar success with The Help in 2012 and

most recently with their fascinating and

fearless Free Solo, which landed the Best

Documentary title at this year’s awards.

Now, it’s Harib’s turn to shine for them.

FREEJ has been labelled the Arab answer

to The Simpsons. This year, it became the

first-ever Arab export to air in animation-mad

Japan. It’s a UAE success story following in the

footsteps of Careem and Souq.com.

Not that his transition is likely to stay

permanent. While the Avengers final chapter

continues to smash records as the biggest

film franchise in history, Harib is content

with focusing on TV. He cites the conclusion

of Game of Thrones, which is itself (like it or

lump it) breaking records as the biggest TV

show in history, as reflecting the shift towards

greater respect for all directors.

“People would say: ‘So, now that you’ve

done FREEJ, when are you going to do your

feature film?’” he adds. “You know, people

speak like films are an upgrade, but they’re

not. They’re a media platform, just like TV.

“Films have something special, they’re

sophisticated and people can walk round and

say: ‘Oh, I’m a film director.’ But with Netflix,

everything is flipping on its head. A director is

a director, a show is a show, a film is a film.”

It’s a homegrown project filmed across

Dubai, and, as a body-switch storyline, there

is an inevitable message audiences will take

home as the characters see the world through

each other’s eyes.

Harib’s take on it? Note the message, but

overall just enjoy it.

He insists: “People hammer me down on

messages. I believe in creating entertainment

for the sake of creating entertainment.

We have very big issues with Arabic shows

and content in general. People can be very

idealistic and go: ‘What’s the message of

this...?’ I say: ‘There is no message, did you

laugh? Yes? Good, you are entertained. That’s

the purpose of it.’

“The last thing I want to do is step out of

my world and my problems by going to the

cinema, pay my money and then see someone

else’s problems and feel bad.

“Watch the film, have a laugh, don’t take it

seriously, take it for what it is and move on. As

long as we entertain you, we’re happy.”

The same motto as Ferrari, then. Sort of.

O Rashib & Rajab is in cinemas across the UAE from

Eid al-Fitr.

“I’ve got

raw talent

when it

comes

to live

action –

I’ve never

done it

before”

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