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AGO – Middle Ages during the Arab domination of the Iberian Peninsula

The Diva Group of Companies and Freemind Arts jointly will produce the 6 episodes period drama

Nicole Rodrigues, president and founder of the Dubai based company has a huge experience in creating and managing events, advertising and other media actions, AGO shall be her first venture in the televisive historical fiction.

Rodrigues olfative skills for success felt inmediately in love with the concept and plot of a drama that tells the story of king Jaume I and the Arab rulers Zayyan and Abu Zeyd in the Mediterranean territories of what centuries later became Spain.

Even if some real locations are existing still in today’s Spain, producers will only shortly shoot there. “Such a demanding action and plot concept is more efectively to be shot on a sound stage with all guarantess and no time or weather limitations.” after words of the Spanish producers Jesus Sans and Pepón Siglér. We have found in the Emirates, not only the right partners in the Diva Group, but also the best studio devices for our demnads and top technology provided by Gamma Engineering, another company based in the Emirates.

AGO is to be directed by renowned and awarded professionals with a huge experience in directing intimateas also action sequences. The Algerian Karim Traïdia, Berlinale awarded, and Emmy winner for the international acclaimed tv show‘Money Heist’ Javier Quintas are some of the main responsible for the works, but producers are also discussing with other srtong names like the actor Viggo Mortensen, who has done his first steps in directing with the solid background of his stunning acting portofolio.

Hollywood top talent

Hollywood top professionals like the director of photography Tim Angulo (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Batman Returns) and the line producer Alex Sutherland (Argo, Tinker Tailot Soldier Spy) among others are responsible for the high quality standards that today’s fiction demands Sutherland is Oscar awarded for ‘Argo’ and Tim Angulo has become the preferred photographer for directors like Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan when it is about visual effects and miniature shots.

The producers have begun contacts to Viggo Mortensen for both, acting and directing. Mortensen has recently directed and as Karim Traïdia observes, such actors usually have the feeling for what viewers really need to expereince while enjoying a fictional work.

But also local talent, foreigners installed since long in the Emirates developing successfully their careers, like the other director of photography, Mark ‘Hobz’ Hobson, Gold Award winning Cinematographer from the ACS Guild and well known Cinematorgrapher in the UAE and MENA región for his work.

Another Indian background entrepreneur, Pankaj Sehgal, suceesfully installed in Dubai since a very long time is partner in the the Spanish Freemind Arts since they met to produce together ‘The Gandhi Murder’.

UAE as the Hollywood of Middle East

“We at the Diva Group are always looking for projects that are giving support to the development and grow of the region… it is my very personal way to say thanks to a country that has given me everything. “ - comments Diva president Nicole Rodrigues – “ it is my aim to support and secure that this country which is my home and my heart as a very attractive location for international prestigious productions, but also to bring companies like Freemind Arts with a huge development potential to install and grow in the Emirates in a period of real uncertainity in Europe and the US.”

Freemind Arts has several projects prepared for the international market and finds the studios and work conditions given between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaima are perfect for their plans in collaboration with the Diva Group, Gamma Engineering and other service companies based in the country.

Production shall start this winter season

Taking profit of the good weather conditions given in the UAE during the winter months, producers will plan to begin with pre-production works, including very important elements like horses adaptation to a new climatology and conditions. But also some of the permorming professionals have highly demanding skills to develop, like sword fighting and special horse riding with stunt actions. A part of this necessary actors training will take place not only in the UAE, but also in Central European countries.

The production of such a huge fictional period takes a long time, producers plan to stay at least during 1 year busy in UAE, which would bring them to begin with the preparation of other fiction productions including blockbusters with A list talents.