Dubai-based film producer vows to make first feature film
Zenofar Fathima at Dubai’s Binous1 Gym.
Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter
Through her series of short films on a wide range of topics, Dubai-based film producer Zenofar Fathima has already influenced many lives and admired by thousands across the showbiz industry.
To extend her horizon, she has announced the details of her new project, ‘Beyond The Limit’, a feature film that will portray the fall and rise of an athlete who loses his legs in a traumatic accident at infancy.
Talking to media in Dubai, Zenofar Fathima said that “after the international success of meta-spiritual short film ‘Ayah’ with grabbing 15 awards, we are ready to make my first ever feature film ‘Beyond The Limit’ which is a coming of age sports drama that will see the fall and rise of an upcoming athlete who loses his legs in a traumatic accident at infancy.”
She further said, “with this film, I aim to showcase an inspirational journey of perseverance, straight from childhood to the mature years of adulthood, which will hopefully encourage the masses to achieve beyond their limits, whether it be personally or professionally”.
The film director and producer Fathima had produced so far 10 short films during her career spanning five years. To date, she has tackled societal issues of cyber extortion, depression, domestic violence and even the Dark Web with her short films that she touts as “mini lessons to society.”
Though Fathima has yet to announce the cast and crew associated with the film, she had managed to give guests a sneak peek of the unique pre-production process, which entails undergoing a stringent fitness regime of her own.
“Unlike my past films, Beyond the Limit requires me to step out of my comfort zone and empathize with someone whose life is very different from my own,”
Fathima stated. “As a result, I need to be able to vicariously experience that individual’s life, even if it is just one per cent. Although it has been a challenge, it is one that is enjoyable. Fitness has now become a central part of my everyday life.”
The film will be shoot in Dubai’s Binous1 Gym, an official shooting location and the biggest gym in Dubai.
As a key role in the film, she has been working hard and joined the gym as her pre-production process that involves research, analysis and the eventual synthesis of the film’s script.
“In order to get inside the mind of my protagonist, I began my fitness journey in Binous1, which is now like a second home to me- having met so many amazing people and learnt so much about pushing my own limits, physically and psychologically,” stated Fathima.
With Beyond the Limit, Fathima and her corporate brainchild Zen Film Productions are not only journeying into the arena of features, but also a sub-genre she has yet to experience: sports dramas. “I’ve always been doing short films because I think that in a world overwhelmed by sensory overload, it’s important to create content that is easy to understand whilst also offering a message to audiences before they part with the film,” she explained.
“However, as a seasoned short filmmaker, I am now ready to dive into features which is an art form in itself. It requires a certain degree of zest and attention to detail that I am very excited to explore. They are challenging as they are rewarding, but most importantly, I believe the subject matter of Beyond the Limit warrants a feature length film.”
Beyond the Limit is currently in its pre-production phase, with the film slated to release in early 2023. The film is currently in talks to be distributed internationally.
