Duabi-based animation studio Barajoun Entertainment released the first trailer for its animated film “Bilal” this week, promising to bring an Arabic hero to the big screen.
A thousand years ago, one boy with a dream of becoming a great warrior is abducted with his sister and taken to a land far away from home. Thrown into a world where greed and injustice rule all, Bilal finds the courage to raise his voice and make a change.
Inspired by true events, this is a story of a real hero who earned his remembrance in time and history. #BilalMovie
At December's Dubai International Film Festival, Barajoun announced that Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje, the British-Nigerian actor who will join the cast of “Game of Thrones” in the upcoming season, would star in the production.
The release of the trailer has drawn praise on social media, both for reportedly being the first fully Middle Eastern-funded and -produced animated film and for being presumably based on the story of Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of Prophet Mohammed.
Ayman Jamal, producer and managing partner at Barajoun, said the company was inspired by movies on Malcolm X and Gandhi, and wanted to bring a regional hero to life in a similar way.
"We all watch Marvel heroes; we like them, but I feel there's a gap in showing real-life heroes. The same way we saw Gandhi, we hope to get real life heroes to inspire the youth."
The movie is due to be released this year.