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A SHORT movie filmed at Bahrain Fort that brings together eerie supernatural concepts and thrilling action could soon be developed into a motion picture or a mini-series.
Cult, inspired by Dilmunian and Mesopotamian mythology, is a ‘proof-of-concept’ – with the action unfolding in 1000BC, in ancient Bahrain, also known as Dilmunia.
It is produced by Blu Steel Films, who have also hired Wikked Productions to assist with producing.
A proof of concept is a short film developed on a limited budget to show studios worldwide what the production team can accomplish.
Blu Steel Film founder Mohammed Fakhro said he had been working on the project for more than two years, and aims to develop it into a feature-film that receives international recognition.
“Cult is a dark, supernatural horror with the pace and suspense of an adventure thriller,” he said.
“We shot using the Red Dragon 6K camera with Cooke Anamorphic Prime lenses and the combination of such camera and lenses creates Hollywood aesthetic and world-class production standards.
“This brings to life local histories that have never been shown in mainstream cinema before.
“We not only have access to cutting-edge inventory but also an exceptional production team.
“Our ultimate goal in producing Cult is to raise and diversify the standard of production, special effects and story-telling in Bahrain to newer heights.
“I believe Cult has the potential to set a new benchmark for Bahraini cinema and to serve as an inspiration for other young Arab filmmakers.”
Mr Fakhro wrote, produced and directed his first short film Cloven which received regional and international recognition as it was featured in several newspapers.
Cloven was also screened at Screamfest 2018, Hollywood’s largest and longest running horror film festival in the United States.
“Cloven’s selection marked the first time a Bahraini short film entered the festival. It was also the only Arab film to take part that year,” he added.
“Ancient Bahrain dates back to more than 6,000 years and the stories, folktales and myths are endless.
“Cult is a testimonial that proves we are capable of producing high-quality cinematic content in Bahrain as we definitely have the talent here.
“Filming Cult in Bahrain Fort was definitely one of the highlights of the production as we were filming a movie based on Dilmunian mythology in a location that actually used to be part of Dilmunia. It was incredible.
“There weren’t many challenges, but we followed all Covid-19 rules and regulations during filming which took a total of 36 shooting hours in addition to a five-day prep period prior to shooting.”
Producers include Mr Fakhro, Ahmed Salahudin, Zohaib Latif (who is also the cinematographer) and Ali Esbai along with co-writer Essa Swain who started writing the script with Mr Fakhro two years ago.
Executive producers are Talal Kanoo, Yusuf Fakhro, Hasan Al Mahmood, Yousif Al Moayed, Rawwaf Alhasan, Mohammed Abdulrahim and Ahmed Salahuddin.
