World-leading Arabic streamer Shahid (part of the Middle East and North Africa region’s largest media company, MBC Group) has announced a new partnership with Barajoun Entertainment (Bilal: A New Breed of Hero), the leading animation and VFX studio in MENA. Barajoun will produce five original Arabic-language animations, to be streamed exclusively under the Shahid Originals category on the Shahid VIP premium subscription-based service over the next three years.
Through this collaboration, the partners aim to grow and promote original Arabic animations that feature diverse stories that appeal to both local and international viewers. It is also part of both companies’ missions to mentor and support pioneering animators and other talented content creators, offering platforms in which their work can be accessed by larger audiences.
“We are extremely excited to be partnering with Barajoun Entertainment, the region’s pioneers in the animation industry. One of our missions has always been to tell the diverse and varied stories of the region to the rest of the world, conveying our great heritage, civilisations, cultures and lifestyles to viewers everywhere,” said Tareq Al-Ibrahim, Director of MBC1, MBC DRAMA & Shahid VIP Content.
“It is important for us to tell stories that reflect the reality of the region, carry its values, reflect its history and even foresee its future. We are confident that our partnership with Barajoun Entertainment, headed up by Ayman Jamal, will contribute towards strengthening the animation industry in the GCC and the entire MENA region, elevating the industry to the global standard.”
Ayman Jamal, Founder & Producer of Barajoun Entertainment, added, “This is an important move that encourages the development of the overall animation industry in the region. At Barajoun, we support the process and production of content that is unique and purposeful, created to the highest technical and technological standards.
“With Shahid being the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform, I am looking forward to seeing this collaboration contribute towards the development of more Saudi and Arab talent working in the fields of writing, graphic design, modelling and animation, as well as performance and voice acting — all specialties of this vital industry that attract viewers from across the world. I believe that we truly have the potential to be on par with the biggest international animation studios, production companies, and content makers.”
Jamal concluded, “As we work towards creating the first five confirmed
productions, we will also be operating on the sidelines, collaborating with various departments at MBC Group to develop related products such as games or merchandise.”
The first production of this new collaboration between Shahid and Barajoun Entertainment is expected to launch on Shahid VIP this July. Based on a science fiction novel, the work will feature the voice of a well known Arab actor, to be unveiled closer to the release.
Based in Dubai, U.A.E., Barajoun Entertainment is an end to end animation and CGI production company working in animated feature films, series, XR, VFX, game cinematics and more. The studio made an international splash with its original English-language 3D film about the birth of Islam, Bilal: A New Breed of Hero, which was awarded “Best Inspiring Movie” at Cannes Animation Day 2016 and was nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
