Fortress Capital Investments, a leading investment firm operating in the Middle East, has collaborated with Film Clinic, a key production company in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, to set up a joint venture company.

The Fortress Film Clinic will help establish a foundation for this growing industry in the region, said a statement.

The new business unit, which will be headed by Mohamed Hefty, a renowned producer and scriptwriter, is set to scale up the investments, it said.

Hamed Mokhtar, managing partner at Fortress Capital Investments, said: “We have signed three major co-production contracts with the renowned Film Clinic. We will work with different production companies to deliver world-class Arab productions that will stand out in the crowd both regionally and internationally.”

“Fortress Film Clinic will create path-breaking productions in this part of the world. It is time to take this industry to the next level, and deliver to Arab audiences productions that boast the same high standards seen in Hollywood and Bollywood projects,” said Hefzy.

The new firm is advocating appropriate regulations for the industry in the region, as a first step toward creating unique and compelling films, and videos, he said.

There has been a growing demand for multimedia productions across the region. Many investment firms have responded to such demand by allocating investments for dedicated production arms, said the statement.

More international movies are finding their way into the UAE, many of which were filmed in the country, and still many more are looking for the right local partners, it said.

“Dubai and the UAE in general hold great potential for the film making industry as more investors enter the local market,” Mokhtar added. - TradeArabia News Service