Mansoor Al Dhaheri

Mansoor Al Dhaheri
Born	14 January 1975 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Citizenship	Emirati
Education	MBA from the New York Institute of Technology MFA in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy Certificate in Advanced Project Management, Stanford University
Occupation(s)	Film director and producer
Organization(s)	FilmGatellc and Alkalema productions
Website	https://www.mansooraldhaheri.com/

Mansoor Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri (born 14 January 1975) is an Emirati film producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Film Gate Productions and Al Kalema Productions. Al Dhaheri is known for his contributions to the development of the film industry in the United Arab Emirates and has received international recognition for his work in filmmaking. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Early life and education

Al Dhaheri was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the New York Institute of Technology (2007–2009) and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy (2010–2012). He also received certificate in Advanced Project Management from Stanford University. ^[4]

Career

Film and media

Al Dhaheri launched Al Kalema Production in January 2012 and Film Gate Production in January 2018. His companies have produced a variety of films, TV series, and documentaries that reflect Emirati culture. His productions have appeared at international festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, Dubai International Film Festival, and Abu Dhabi Film Festival. ^{[5] [1] [6]}

Notable works

• The Platform (2020–2021) ^[7]
• Dreams Drawn by Dust (2022)
• Scattered Barriers (2021)
• House of Life (2022)
• Swim 62 (2023) ^[8]
• Abu Dhabi Success Story (2024)
• The Embrace of Zayed’s Crescent (2018)
• Little Sparta (2016) ^[4]

Awards and recognition

Al Dhaheri's work has been honored at numerous international festivals:

• Gulf Film Festival – Riyadh (2024) – First Prize: Best Documentary Film for Swim 62 ^[9]
• New York Film Awards (2024) – Swim 62 won Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Documentary ^[10]
• Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival (2024) – Abu Dhabi Success Story won Outstanding Excellence ^[11]
• Los Angeles Film Awards (2022) – Dreams Drawn by Dust won Best TV Series
• Dubai International Film Festival – Multiple Muhr Emirati Award nominations for Little Sparta, Unified Home, and Mirage.net ^[12]
• Cannes Film Festival (2013) – Nominee for the SACD Short Film Award for Mirage.net ^[13]

Controversy

In 2021, Film Gate Productions became the subject of public attention following the release of The Misfits, which depicted a fictional state named “Jazeeristan” as a sponsor of terrorism. The film featured a character resembling a well-known cleric associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, portraying him as a financier of global terrorism. The depiction was widely interpreted as a critique of the Brotherhood’s regional influence. ^{[14] [15] [16]}

Claims of legal disputes were later made by Palestinian-Finnish co-producer Rami Jaber. However, official reports from Finland confirmed that Jaber (also known as Rami Al-Husseini) was arrested in Oulu, Finland in July 2024 and charged with multiple financial crimes, including fraud and money laundering allegedly committed between 2015 and 2019. He remains in custody under investigation for what Finnish authorities have described as “serious and organized” financial crimes. ^[17]

References

1. "Netflix producer launches search for disabled talent to develop Abu Dhabi-filmed drama". thenationalnews.com. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
2. "Emirati filmmaker Mansoor Al Dhaheri urges emerging talents to tell stories closer to their hearts and their culture at Xposure 2024". Sharjah Government Media Bureau. 2024-02-28. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
3. Qarjouli, Asmahan (5 August 2021). "The Misfits film producer Rami Jaber receives death threats following Al Jazeera expose". dohanews.co. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
4. Hill, Jessica. "Emirati director Mansoor Al Dhaheri puts region's volatile history in spotlight with Little Sparta". thenationalnews.com. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
5. "UAE: First drama series made by people of determination to be released on Netflix on December 3". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
6. "From Abu Dhabi and produced by Mansour Al Dhaheri..Netflix presents the first series in the world made by People of Determination". Sbisiali News Portal. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
7. Bedirian, Razmig. "What to expect from season two of 'The Platform': ramped-up tension, famous faces and plenty of action". The National. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
8. Bedirian, Razmig. "Swim 62 traces Mansour Al Dhaheri's epic journey around Abu Dhabi island". The National. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
9. Hasan, Sanaa (2024-04-21). "Gulf Cinema Festival Wraps Up Honoring Winners". Leaders. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
10. Awards, New York Film (2024-02-10). "Winners - January 2024". newyorkfilmawards. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
11. "DWBFF SPRING 2024 Official Selections". docswithoutbordersfilmfest.com. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
12. Hill, Jessica. "Emirati director Mansoor Al Dhaheri puts region's volatile history in spotlight with Little Sparta". The National. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
13. "Cannes Film Festival SACD Short Film Award - list of laureates of the film festival". kinoafisha.info. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
14. Qarjouli, Asmahan (2021-08-02). "Al Jazeera exposes 'political strategy' behind Emirati-funded film The Misfits". Doha News | Qatar. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
15. "How UAE-funded film The Misfits became anti-Qatar propaganda". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
16. Gjevori, Elis. "Islamophobic UAE financed Hollywood film slammed as 'shameful'". Islamophobic UAE financed Hollywood film slammed as 'shameful'. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
17. "Charges for aggravated offences read to 'prince' driving in gold Mercedes". Ground News. 2025-04-08. Retrieved 2025-04-08.

External links

• Mansoor Al Dhaheri at IMDb