Michael Jackson fans in Bahrain will be invited to join in the global premiere of the pop icon's movie This Is It.
The kingdom is among 25 nations selected to screen the star's final concert rehearsals on Wednesday, October 28.
The film is being produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson and will be drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage, captured in high definition with state-of-the-art digital sound as the late singer was preparing for his concert series in London.
This Is It, which will also offer select sequences in 3-D, will provide a unique career retrospective and feature interviews with some of Jackson's closest friends and creative collaborators.
Sony Pictures has announced that Bahrain is one of the countries around the world which will simultaneously premiere the film although the exact location of the screening has still to be decided.
Veteran music executive John McClain, a Jackson family friend for more than 40 years, said: "This film is not only a tribute to an artist who created excitement every moment he was on stage, but also is a fitting gift to the millions of fans worldwide who loved him and who he devoted his professional life to entertaining."
Jackson died on June 25. A doctor is the target of an investigation into the singer's death, which has been classified a homicide.
Jackson moved to Bahrain with his children after his 2005 acquittal of child molestation charges and lived there for almost year. Bahrainis and expats became accustomed to glimpsing the reclusive star sporting a black woman's abaya. During his stay he was often spotted visiting a number of places with his children, including the Al Areen Wildlife Park and Reserve, the Gulf Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa, Geant Hypermarket and Seef Mall.
Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa had a falling out with the King of Pop in 2008. He filed a lawsuit after disagreement over plans for a concert comeback fell through that ended in an out-of-court settlement in 2008. Despite this, he publicly mourned his death as a tragic loss to the music industry in a statement in our sister newspaper, Gulf Daily News.
Although mystery surrounds the 50-year-old's demise, his music has never been so popular and his albums once again ride high in the charts across the globe. The forthcoming film is likely to break box-office records.
"People who have seen this footage are astounded by the amazing quality of Michael Jackson's performance," said Michael Lynton, chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
"This historic recording of the last time he sang and danced on stage shows the legendary artist in an incredibly powerful way, with crystal clear images and sound. We understand the importance of producing a film that pays tribute to Michael as an artist, and are honoured to work with The Estate of Michael Jackson to give audiences the gift of his final performances. I know this film will serve as further proof that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest entertainers who ever graced a stage."
"Michael lives on through his songs, his creative genius, his body of work and his passion for his art," said Rob Stringer, chairman of Columbia/Epic Label Group. "He was a perfectionist on stage and through this unique film, audiences will be able to see, many for the first time, how much Michael poured into making his performances as special as they were perfect."
The majority of the film's footage was shot in June at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, and The Forum in Inglewood, California, as Jackson prepared for This Is It, the series of 50 concerts he planned to present at the O2 Arena in London.
This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scene's look at the star .
Kenny Ortega, director of and Jackson's creative partner on the This Is It concert, explained: "The world will see what our team was so fortunate to experience, which was the full commitment, passion and creativity that Michael put into this project.
"He was the architect of This Is It, and we were his builders. The footage that was captured from the early stages of the production to our technical rehearsals will show Michael as he truly was, creatively involved with every aspect of the production, from the staging and choreography, to the music, lighting, production design and conception of the original short films and video backdrops.
"It will also show Michael as one of the greatest entertainers in the world and one of the industry's most creative minds. This Is It was Michael's last theatrical work and although it was still a work in progress, I think the footage will show that the process was something that Michael deeply enjoyed and that it was clear that he was on his way to another theatrical triumph."
