Dubai Management Co. Untamed Talent Launches With A.B. Shawky & Amjad Al Rasheed Among Directors On Inaugural Client List – Red Sea Film Festival

Melanie Goodfellow
·3 min read
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Former Mister Smith sales executive Antone Saliba has launched management and production company Untamed Talent, with the backing of Dubai-based Front Row Productions.

The latter company, which is a joint venture of leading Middle East distribution companies Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment, will provide capital and strategic value for the new banner.

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Saliba, who was a sales and acquisitions executive under David Garrett at Mister Smith, wants to create new content business models for the fast-growing entertainment sectors of the SWANA region, covering Southwest Asia and North Africa.

As well as representing filmmakers from the established MENA industry hubs of Egypt and Saudi, the new company will also identify, develop, and promote talent from traditionally underrepresented countries within the region such as Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran.

The company will work on a non-exclusive basis with production and distribution parties in the region, as well as U.S. and international studios and streamers.

The inaugural client list features Egypt’s Abu Bakr Shawky (Yomeddine, Hajjan); Jordan’s Bassel Ghandour (The Alleys), Amjad Al Rasheed  (Inshallah A Boy) and Faris Alrjoob (The Red Sea Makes Me Wanna Cry); Palestine’s Firas Khoury (Alam) as well as Palestinian-Jordanian filmmaker Yassmina Karajah (Rupture, The Sand Castle) and Syrian creator and writer Mayar Al Nouri.

The announcement was made on the fringes of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, where Shawky’s Hajjan and Al Rasheed’s Inshallah A Boy, which is Jordan’s Oscar entry, are playing in the program.

“At Untamed, we’re combining our understanding of local languages, cultures and stories, with a deep knowledge of the global entertainment business, to elevate the voices from the most innovative players in this region,” said Saliba.

“SWANA filmmakers have previously had to rely solely on the support on European co-production funding and festival selection to find new audiences. Our vision is to fundamentally influence the regional infrastructure and strengthen relationships with international studios.”

Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra said the time was ripe to launch Untamed Talent.

“With the local theatrical and digital market expanding, there is a concrete need for such a venture in order to foster new local talent and compete with the increasingly sophisticated western content audiences are consuming,” he said.

“We saw immediately that Antone’s vision for Untamed Talent fills a gap in the local and broader market. His ability to identify, connect with, and grow bourgeoning new regional talent is critical.

Empire International President Mario Haddad Jr said the company would help fill a talent gap in the burgeoning film and TV industries of MENA and wider SWANA regions.

“As producers, we recognize that the wider industry needs a new wave of talent, but we all struggle to find those voices. We believe in collective cooperation in growing the market so what Untamed is bringing to the table will benefit all of the companies and creatives in this region,” he said.

With a focus on Arabic film and TV, previous Front Row Productions made its debut in 2022 with Arabic-language remake of Italian hit Perfect Strangers.

Upcoming productions including thriller The Sand Castle, starring Nadine Labaki as well as remakes of French blockbuster Intouchables and South Korean hit Miracle In Cell #7.

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