Cedars Art Production has been making well-received Middle Eastern films and television dramas since the 1950s but it was not until three years ago that the Lebanese company realised its full potential. Everything changed when Al Hayba was showcased at Cannes. The TV series, set in a fictional, smuggling-funded mountain village near ancient Baalbek, blended action, romance, feudal politicking, emotional intelligence and bewitching scenery. Netflix executives spied an international hit and acquired streaming rights.
Underpinned by themes sufficiently universal to resonate with globally diverse audiences, the Arabic soundtrack was given English, French, Spanish and Chinese subtitles. Soon Al Hayba’s lead actors, Taim Hasan and Nadine Njeim, were appearing in sitting rooms across North America, Europe and east Asia. For Cedars Art the stars had aligned. An ideal confluence of strong product and growing international appetite bridged the gulf between niche and mainstream.
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