Dubai Studio City (DSC) showcased its infrastructure and facilities at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, which concluded yesterday.
DSC was at the Emirates pavilion to promote Dubai as an ideal production base for international filmmakers.
The festival is a popular venue for the motion picture industry, which converges for two weeks of deal-making, screenings, seminars, red carpet premieres and networking.
“This festival celebrates the best the film industry has to offer,” stated Jamal Al Sharif, director of Dubai Studio City. Al Sharif led a five-member delegation to the Cannes Film Festival.
“Dubai Studio City is keen on participating in such global events that facilitate interaction with key players in the entertainment industry. Cannes Film Festival is an important event that serves our outreach objectives and opens new communication channels with the international film makers and major studio executives.”
Studio City recently announced the completion of 78% of its infrastructure work with the remainder scheduled for completion at the end of the year.
Phase one of the project will feature 18 boutique studios, three sound stages, four six-level office buildings, a 15-storey tower, a retail area, a warehouse and a workshop. So far, $350 million has been spent on the project. At Cannes, Studio City sought to raise awareness about the UAE’s other outside locations as well.
DSC also recently celebrated the second birthday of its Location Approval Services (LAS) department. LAS is the operational arm of Studio City, mandated with facilitating government permits for all photography and filming activities in Dubai.
Speaking about the project, Al Sharif, added: “Our facilities will help our partners proceed with their operations in a smooth manner. More than 40 companies have been licensed by DSC so far, while eight more are in the negotiation stage.” Construction work at phase one of DSC’s core production area is scheduled to start next month.