Bond fans across the Middle East region were in for a treat last night as they enjoyed a memorable premiere of the newest release of the most eagerly awaited and action-packed James Bond movie last night. Gulf Films, the region’s leading film distributor along with Novo Cinemas, a subsidiary of ELAN Group; premiered Spectre across UAE, Qatar and Bahrain as movie-goers gathered in to experience what is set to be one of the biggest releases for 2015.
The premieres took place at Novo Cinemas in Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, The Pearl in Qatar and Al Seef Mall Muharraq in Bahrain, with media and die-hard fans of the franchise in attendance.
Special VIP guests in Dubai were also invited for an exclusive ‘Spectre after-party’ at Pacha Ibiza, a leading entertainment and nightlife venue in Dubai. The guests were entertained by mesmerizing Bond themed music and spell bounding 007 style acts.
Selim El Azar, CEO of Gulf Film, the Middle East distributor for Spectre, said “We signed the contract for distribution of this iconic film back in February of 2015 and it’s finally here for all the James Bond fans from the Middle East to enjoy. This is one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2015 and we have ensured that it receives the highest level of distribution possible in the Middle East. We foresee Spectre to become the highest grossing movie that we have ever distributed in the region.”
Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen, CEO of Novo Cinemas, said “Fans of James Bond are going to really love the latest movie in the 007 series. Novo Cinemas is very proud to be the first for showcasing this Middle East Premiere and excited to being able to bring what is set to become an iconic movie to people of all ages.”
Spectre sees James Bond face a global crime syndicate named SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion). On his way to uncover this sinister organization, Bond meets a mysterious man – played by Christopher Waltz –who claims a connection to James Bond’s past. The new James Bond movie also deals with the politics of keeping a the secret service industry alive, but the deeper Bond goes to finding out the truth of the evil SPECTRE, the more apparent it becomes that not everything is ‘black and white’ for the international man of mystery.
Produced by Eon Productions, Spectre is directed by Sam Mendes, and written by Ian Fleming and John Logan. The action-thriller stars Daniel Craig as 007 with strong support from leading international actors Christoph Waltz as Bond’s arch enemy and Ralph Fiennes as M.
Spectre will be released and shown to the public on 6th November, 2015, at all Novo Cinema locations across the region.
Novo Cinemas
With a rich legacy of cinema firsts, a passion for movies and a mission to entertain film fans everywhere, Novo Cinemas is proud to be the largest and most visited chain of theatres in the Middle East. The expansive chain was acquired in 2012 by ELAN Qatar W.L.L (formerly q.media) as part of the Gulf Film Group. Since its beginnings in 2000, Novo Cinemas has grown to an unparalleled 115 screens and 22,000 seats in 14 locations across the UAE, Qatar and Jordan. On-going expansion will see our numbers grow to over 200 screens by 2016.
Gulf Film LLC
Gulf Film was established in 1989, a film distributor of major studio productions and independent movies in both Arabic and English to audiences across the Middle East. Headquartered in Dubai, the company distributes and exhibits over 150 titles per annum – one out of every two films released in the region. Together with the group’s exhibition arm, Novo Cinemas, Gulf Film LLC was acquired in 2012 by ELAN. For over two and a half decades, Gulf Film has not only worked diligently to strengthen its market position but also to spearhead the growth of film and cinema across the region. www.gulffilm.com
ELAN Group
With a history of over ten years in the local, regional and international market, ELAN Group brings the very best in media, events, urban and entertainment services. 100% owned by Qatar Development Bank (QDB) a Qatari Government entity, ELAN Group is growing from strength to strength and has matured into one of the region’s top advertising and media services companies. Proudly employing a team of over 1000 people across a global footprint with a focus on the development of Qatari nationals, ELAN Group is currently in a transformational period and is embarking on a number of initiatives across its strategic pillars. These initiatives include the expansion of outdoor media offerings with partners JCDecaux, broadening its entertainment offering for Novo Cinemas and Gulf Film across the MENA region and developing Qatar’s conference and exhibition portfolio with ELAN Events and partners Fira Barcelona and MCI. www.elan.qa