Filmed entirely in the UAE, 'Baab' brought together more than 140 artists and technicians, including 20 Emiratis in pivotal creative roles.
Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja’s new feature Baab, a haunting psychological drama led by a female cast and exploring the fragile boundary between life and death, will premiere at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF). The film marks a historic milestone as the first feature by an Emirati female director to premiere at the festival and features the first Arabic-language score composed by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman.
Supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture’s National Grant for Culture and Creativity and produced by Sultan Saeed Al Darmaki, Baab is set to strengthen the presence of Emirati cinema on the regional stage. The film will premiere on November 17 at the Small Theatre, followed by an additional screening on November 18 at Zamalek Cinema.
Set in the remote mountains of Ras Al Khaimah, the film follows a woman grappling with the trauma of losing her twin sister. Her sorrow manifests as an incessant ringing in her ears, pulling her into a shifting space between memory and imagination. As her reality becomes increasingly blurred, the desert landscape evolves into a psychological terrain, and silence becomes a powerful emotional force.
Al Khaja described her participation at CIFF as a defining moment for Emirati cinema. “Standing in Cairo as the first Emirati woman to present a feature at the festival is more than symbolic — it marks a shift in how the region views our cinema,” she said. She credited Al Darmaki’s unwavering support as instrumental in bringing the project to life.
Produced by Sultan Saeed Al Darmaki, Nayla Al Khaja and Jude S. Walko under Dark Dunes Productions, Baab represents a significant collaboration between Emirati storytelling and international filmmaking expertise. Shot entirely in the UAE, the production brought together more than 140 cast and crew members, including over 20 Emiratis in key creative roles, highlighting the country’s expanding pool of film talent.
The film’s creative team includes two-time Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman, who crafted his first-ever score for an Arabic film, and cinematographer Rogier Stoffers, known for Quills, School of Rock and Mongol. Rahman’s music weaves together emotion and sound, while Stoffers’ visuals bring depth to the psychological themes.
Following its world premiere in Cairo, Baab will begin a theatrical rollout across the MENA region in early 2026 through Vox Distribution. It is set to become one of the widest regional releases for an independently financed Emirati feature, marking another major milestone for the UAE’s growing film industry.
