As celebrations of Sana’a as the Arab Cultural Capital got underway in early 2004, another unique project was coming into reality. And though most efforts for the year’s festivities aimed at bringing visitors from around the world to Sana’a, this one aims at bringing Sana’a to the world.

Through February and March, principal shooting was conducted in Old Sana’a for the making of Yemen’s very first fulllength cinematic motion picture, A New Day in Old Sana’a. Written and directed by British-born Yemeni Bader Ben Hirsi, the film (sceduled for release in early 2005) has set milestones not just in Yemen, but in the Arab film industry.

The co-production of Yemen Media Centre and Felix Films Entertainment Ltd.’s funding for the shooting of the $1.3- million, 90-minute feature film was raised entirely in the Republic of Yemen, making it the first project of this scale ever locally produced. But that’s not all. According to director Ben Hirsi, “This will be the first feature film ever produced by any country in the Arabian Peninsula.” “Many people think Yemen lags behind the other countries of the region,” says the director. “That just isn’t the case anymore.”

From these auspicious beginnings, the film, a dramatic romance, is set to become one of the country’s most significant cultural exports not only in the Year of the Arab Cultural Capital, but for a long time to come. With a storyline that is meaningful to both domestic and international audiences, A New Day in Old Sana’a will make its worldwide debut in Sana’a followed by screenings in venues throughout Yemen.

It is also scheduled to be ready for international release as early as May 2005, in time to appear in competition in the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where audiences hunger for “first films” breaking ground in new frontiers. As shooting was conducted in the streets, businesses and houses of historic Old Sana’a, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, over a period of seven weeks, the people of the city developed an intimate awareness of the story and its characters. The cast and crew, assembled from Yemen, the UK, Lebanon, France, Germany and Morocco, praised the residents of the Old City for their great hospitality and enthusiasm during the filming process.

The film stars Nabil Saber, an Old Sana’a native, as Tariq, a young man who finds himself torn between modern and traditional values just three days before his wedding day. Getting married to a woman he has never seen, Tariq catches sight one morning of a beautiful girl he thinks is his bride-to-be and thinks he is in love. Upon learning he is mistaken, however, he feels trapped, and would rather follow his heart than obey traditional systems of honor and obligation. Scandal ensues, and as the events of the day unfold, their lives will never be the same again.

The film also stars Lebanese actress Dania Hamoud as Ines, the girl who despite her lowly social standing finds herself the object of Tariq’s affections. A New Day in Old Sana’a draws upon an enormous wealth of local talent, including legendary Yemeni comedian Yehya Ibrahim and other well-known actors and actresses. In addition to being entirely locally funded, the majority of the film’s cast and crew are Yemeni, many of them having worked on their first feature film.

“We are giving birth to an industry,” explains producer Ahmed Abdali. “We are showing the whole world that this can be done here, and we are delving into the enormous untapped potential of Yemen as an ideal filmmaking venue.”

“I’ve always believed that Old Sana’a is the perfect place to make a film--it’s a film set that’s been two and a half thousand years in the making,” says Bader Ben Hirsi, whose previous works include the acclaimed The English Sheikh and the Yemeni Gentleman [2000], a documentary travelogue.

With about ninety-five percent of the film’s action taking place at various locations in Old Sana’a, few could argue for a more ideal showcase of the city’s richness of culture and heritage. With a schedule over the next year-and-a-half that includes screenings at more than 60 film festivals worldwide, A New Day in Old Sana’a really is poised to bring Yemen to the world like never before.

Key funding and support for A New Day in Old Sana’a has come from Yemen’s Ministry of Culture & Tourism, the Capital Secretariat, the Social Development Fund and private enterprises including Natco, Sabafon, Spacetel, the Taj Sheba Hotel, the Yemen Observer, YECO, the International Bank of Yemen, Tourist City, and Shamlan Water.