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Science-fiction is not a genre often seen in Arab film and television, so the screening of futuristic TV series Hell's Gate -- hailed in the media as the Arab world’s first Arabic language sci-fi drama series -- is worthy of attention, and hailed by some as a possible game-changer as Arab media expands its genre horizons.
Set in Beirut in 2052, the series is about a band of revolutionaries who look to overthrow the totalitarian regime in Lebanon, and follows a man who leads a secluded life whose world is turned upside down when a technical glitch brings a mysterious to his home. With the help of rebels, they attempt to overthrow a group of private businesses and investors who have assumed control of the country.
The series is directed by International Emmy Award winner Amin Dora, and stars Canadian-Lebanese actress Cynthia Samuel and Palestinian actor Adam Bakri alongside Fadi Abi Samra, Hassan Farhat and other local performers. The Arabic language series will screen exclusively on Shahid VIP.
Director Amin Dora is quoted as saying: “The biggest challenge was to forecast how the Arab audience will react to an Arabic-language sci-fi drama. In fact, the first discussion we had as producers and writers of the show was how to convince the Arab audience that the inspiration behind the show is actually a reality that all of us have been through.”
