Alok Gadkar, Racha Makarem, Aunindo Sen, Ivan Bormaister, Dana Tahir, Pablo Maldonado and Till Hohmann from the UAE to join Cannes Lions 2022 shortlisting jury line-up
As the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan are pleased to announce the line-up of shortlisting jury members from the UAE who will complete the initial stage of judging for this year’s Cannes Lions awards.
Health and Wellness Lions
Alok Gadkar
Executive Creative Director & Managing Director
Group Partnership
Born Sagittarius, 1977. Dribbles the ball at Don Bosco High School. Clicks the shutter & acquires BFA from Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Art. Wins state & art school awards. Hopps, skips & jumps as Art Director from Mudra Communications to Leo Burnett to Enterprise Nexus. Works hard on brands like Times of India, Killer Jeans, McDonald’s, The Economic times & more.
Represents Lowe from Asia as one of the youngest creatives at Cannes Lions on invitation by Adrian Holmes. Drops into Dubai on the way back. Falls in love with the hottest melting pot of culture. Moves to Dubai. Joins Partnership in 2003. Named Campaign Magazine’s young creative to watch in the region. Quits Partnership in 2007. Joins Lowe MENA. Moves back after 9 months.
Creates Iconic Splash Calendar in 2011. Continues to be Iconic every year. Wins first One Show Silver Pencil for Khaild Javed, a humble cobbler in Bur Dubai. Wins first Gold & Silver Cannes Lion for Aster Clinics & the UAE in Health.
Starts judging at Cannes Lions in 2018. Continues jury journey at Clio Health, LIA, Adstars, AME Awards, The Global Awards, New York Festivals & KYIV Festival. Keeps winning. Amassing over 200 awards at Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, One Show, D&AD, & more. Named among region’s Top 10 ECDs multiple times. Creates first-ever global campaign on invitation by SA Federation for Mental Health in 2018. Speaks on the global stage at Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, Mena Cristal. Mentors students at GEMS International School, FAD Fashion Institute & Middle Sex University.
Continues the show as MD & ECD.
Media Lions
Racha Makarem
Chief Executive Officer MENA
Starcom MENA
Racha is responsible for driving business outcomes by putting forward solutions that accelerate growth for partners as they navigate through an increasingly complex & uncertain ecosystem. Passionate about building brands, Racha strongly believes that key to any business or marketing transformation starts with investing behind the human capital & the right partnerships. In her role, she continues to focus on building diverse capabilities to solve for & unlock growth opportunities for clients across the region. What excites her about her role is that she gets to work with world class talent to accelerate growth for some of the most exciting global & regional brands/partners. Her experience spans across tourism, tech, luxury, automotive, government, CPG, payment solutions, entertainment & commerce to name a few.
Throughout her career Racha has worked closely with industry bodies to enhance & set measurement guidelines and principles. She is an elected board member in the IAB MENA & an active member in the D&I committee dedicated to positively influence corporate leaders & policy makers to value diversity & inclusion as a key currency for the growth of the digital economy. She has actively worked & collaborated with industry leaders to technically consult on ways of advancing audience measurement across MENA.
Previously to leading Starcom, Racha spent 15 years overseeing the A&I (Analytics & Insights) practice at Publicis Media. Her last assignment as a practice lead was to merge the DTI (data, tech & innovation) practice with A&I to create the Data Science Practice for the Groupe.
Racha is a mother of two and enjoys building puzzles & Lego with her kids, in addition to reading, meditating & spending quality time with her family, friends & dog.
Direct Lions
Aunindo Sen
Senior Creative Director
Leo Burnett MEA
Aunindo is Senior Creative Director at Leo Burnett, Dubai. With a career of 14 years, Aunindo started his career at JWT Mumbai, on Cadbury’s and various other brands. Spending the last 12 years in the MENA Region, he has previously worked at FP7/Mccann and Impact BBDO where he has been Creative Director on Nestle CPW, Snickers, Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Dove, JIF, Omo and Dettol among other brands, on both regional and global campaigns.
Along the way, he has been recognized with nearly a century of awards at Cannes, One Show, Clio, London International, Cresta, Epica, Dubai Lynx, Effies, Loeries and the Cristals.
He was recently ranked as the No.32 Copywriter in the world in the Big Won Report for advertising.
Film Lions
Ivan Bormaister
Associate Creative Director
M&C Saatchi UAE
Ivan is a Senior Creative from São Paulo with 12+ years of experience, now living in Dubai .
His work has been honored at Cannes Lions, The One Show, D&AD, LIA, Dubai Lynx, New York Festivals, Loeries and AdStars, among others. He also served as a jury member in Ad festivals and had his work published on Adweek, AdAge, Campaign and Lurzer’s Archive.
After traveling with indie bands photographing concerts, he started studying design and advertising. He did some graffiti and illustrations for brands such as Nike, which invited him to work on projects for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics.
He worked at creative agencies in Brazil as an Art Director, the last of which was DM9DDB. In 2017, accepted an invitation to move to the Middle East to work at Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai, later VMLY&R, the 2020 Middle East and Africa’s Cannes Lions Agency of the Decade. Having achieved success on his projects, Ivan was recruited to be part of the M&C Saatchi Group, the world’s largest independent communications network.
PR Lions
Dana Tahir
General Manager
Red Havas ME
With over 14 years of experience in the PR & Communications industry, Dana has been a pillar at Havas PR Middle East, where her role has spanned across all aspects of the agency’s growth, strategic counsel, team management and overall operations. Recognized for brand building, consultancy, and crisis management, know-how, and do-how, Dana has successfully led the agency’s post-digital transformation in recent years, allowing Havas PR to expand its footprint and diversify its portfolio across industries and disciplines.
Aligning with the global strategic direction of the Group. The new agency vision embraces the micro networks merged media strategic model which integrates earned, social, and experiential capabilities with content at the heart.
Prior to joining Havas PR, Dana worked at Leo Burnett, directly handling the Procter & Gamble portfolio. Dana has also recently joined Middle East Public Relations Association as a strategy board member.
Design Lions
Pablo Maldonado
Executive Creative Director
Grey Dubai
Pablo is Executive Creative Director at GREY Dubai but has also been named among the Top 10 Creative Directors in Argentina for the last 4 years by Lürzer’s Archive.
Over the past 17 years he has been one of the most effective and awarded Argentinean creatives in different markets such as Argentina, Mexico, US Hispanic, and now in the UAE.
His key role in Unilever’s ‘Degree Inclusive’ project, the world’s first deodorant designed for people with upper limb and visual disabilities, earned the Wunderman Thompson network its first Cannes Lions Grand Prix in 2020/21, and the first Grand Prix for Innovation in the history of Argentina.
Prior to this, he helped LatinWorks rank #9 in all of USA on Ad Age’s Agency A-List, and DDB as the #1 Mexican agency in the Gunn Report 2012, and #2 in 2011.
A standout in most young creative competitions, Pablo has not only been awarded 1 Grand Prix at Cannes, but 6 other Grand Prix’s and nearly 400 awards (32 Golds) from some of the most prestigious festivals in the world, including Cannes, Clio, One Show, D&AD, LIA, Epica, and Effie, among others.
At the last Cannes Lions, he helped Wunderman Thompson become the Most Innovative Network of the Year and the LIA’s 2021 Regional Agency of the Year in South America.
He is a regular member of Global Creative Councils and has chaired and judged several industry shows, such as the One Show, New York Festivals, The Drum, Cresta, and many others.
Outdoor Lions
Till Hohmann
Chief Creative Officer MENA
Memac Ogilvy
Since late 2021, Till leads Memac Ogilvy as Chief Creative Officer across 14 offices in the diverse MENA region based out of Dubai.
A role all about accelerating the network’s ability to deliver connected solutions, smart experiences, creative concepts, and borderless creativity for some of the world’s most exciting brands. This demands a decidedly media-neutral and channel-agnostic approach as well as a focus on work that has an impact.
It’s this approach and focus that he has built his 20+ year multinational career on. He has lead units, offices, countries, and regions at famous creative independent agencies as well as powerful global networks – out of Germany, the UAE and Singapore. His work for brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, GSK, The Economist, ACDelco, Unilever and many more has won 450+ industry awards across all disciplines at all major industry competitions. He has also been a member as well as jury president at many iconic festivals.
Interestingly, one of his achievements includes leading the regional Memac Ogilvy network to claim the Dubai Lynx Agency of the Year 2010 title, while based in Dubai for the first time, years ago (2007-2010).
Shortlist jurors will judge remotely online in advance of the festival and will receive full complimentary jury registration to this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity from 20-24 June in Cannes, France.
This year’s Festival will also witnesses the highest ever representation of both awarding and shortlisting jurors from the UAE across 12 categories – Print & Publishing, Sustainable Development Goals, Brand Experience & Activation, Industry Craft, PR, Creative Commerce, Health and Wellness, Media, Direct, Film, Design and Outdoor.
The Cannes Lions Festival will be accessible to everyone, and delegate registration is now open. If anyone is unable to travel for any reason, LIONS Members get exclusive digital access to Cannes Lions – plus a series of other benefits, throughout the year.
Ali Rez, Priya Sarma, Akhilesh Bagri, Paul Banham, Lucy Harvey and Ali Cheikhali from the UAE to join Cannes Lions 2022 awarding jury member line-up.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity returns in 2022 as a live event, and will provide an annual forum for the global industry to address the most pressing issues that they and the world are facing today.
As the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the UAE, Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan are pleased to announce the line-up of awarding jury members from the UAE who will come together in Cannes to complete the final stage of judging and awarding of Lions.
Print & Publishing Lions
Ali Rez
Regional Executive Creative Director
Impact BBDO Group MENAP
Ranked amongst the Top 10 ECDs in the world on the World Creative Rankings and named Creative of the Year twice by Campaign magazine, Ali Rez is one of the most successful creative leaders in EMEA. Rez’s work has been instrumental in Impact BBDO Dubai being named the No.2 Creative Agency In The World in 2021 on the WARC report, and has brought tremendous positive impact to business and social causes alike — he currently leads creative output for the IMPACT BBDO Group across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan region.
Rez has won more than 600 international accolades in his career spanning four continents over 20 years, which include several Cannes Lions, Clios, D&AD, Effies, and a United Nations Peace Medal – awards which have led him to be ranked No.1 ECD in MENA and APAC in 2021 on a number of creative rankings.
Moving from California, Rez currently lives in Dubai, where he is an avid mountain biker. Besides lecturing at Oxford University and St.Martin’s College, Rez has exhibited at Tate UK, spoken at Tedx, captained a cricket county team, and — being a firm believer that curiosity leads to creativity — has traveled to 133 countries.
Sustainable Development Goals Lions
Priya Sarma
Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability
Unilever
Priya joined Unilever in February 2008 as the Corporate Communication Manager for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and is based in Jebel Ali, Dubai which is the regional Unilever headquarter. In January 2012 she was assigned the additional responsibility for Employee Engagement across the countries of MENA, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In 2019 she was promoted as Sr. Sustainability Head for MENA, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus & Turkey and in 2021 the additional remit of MENA External Affairs was added to her portfolio.
Prior to joining Unilever, Priya worked in global advertising agencies including FCB Ulka, India, Equity Advertising (an affiliate of Grey Communication) Egypt, and Lowe Look (an affiliate of Lowe Worldwide), Egypt.
In 2016, she led the formation of the Advertising Business Group (ABG) and has been its Board Member since 2016. The ABG is GCC’s largest advertising and marketing self-regulatory body with over 60 members who account for over 70% of the MENA’s advertising spend.
Since 2018 she has been representing the Multinational Companies Business Group in the FCSA led Private Sector Advisory Council on the SDG’s. In Nov 2020, Priya led the launch of the UAE Chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance (UA) in partnership with UN Women. The UA is a thought and action platform that seeks to eradicate harmful gender-based stereotypes in media and advertising. For this, she was recognised by Campaign Magazine as a ‘Marketing Game Changer 2020’.
Brand Experience & Activation Lions
Akhilesh Bagri
Chief Creative Officer
Serviceplan Middle East
Akhilesh started his journey in advertising in Mumbai at a malleable age of 17, before which he was a full-time teenager. A copywriter by trait he has worked at various acronymed and unacronymed agencies such as DDB, BBDO, JWT, McCann and Leo Burnett.
Flashback, 2007: Akhilesh wins an all-expenses trip to Cannes as a student to be part of the Roger Hatchuel Academy. Still wet behind the ears he has no idea what to expect from the week. His mind is blown.
Present Day, 2022 : Now a multiple-award winning creative and CCO of Dubai Lynx Independent Agency of the Year (how about that plug) Akhilesh gets invited to an all-expenses paid trip to Cannes, this time as a jury member. He still has no idea what to expect from the week. His mind is prepared to be blown.
Industry Craft Lions
Paul Banham
Regional Executive Creative Director
MullenLowe MENA
Paul has been the ECD of seven world-class agencies over the last 20 years. In that time, he’s helped to steer the way to 22 ‘Agency of the Year’ titles. His work has collected more than 700 awards for creativity and effectiveness. And he’s ranked in the world’s top fifty ECDs four times – 2008 #17th, 2014 #27th, 2016 #9th, 2021 #36th.
He’s judged at D&AD, One Show, Campaign BIG, NYF, IAB, Caples, Immortals, Lories, TIKTOK and many other global shows, and he has spoken on a variety of subjects at the likes of Cannes and Lynx. Paul’s work/opinions have also been published in many advertising books/annuals and editorials in the Guardian and The Wall Street Journal.
After moving from London to Dubai in 2012, he helped steer FP7 McCann to the enviable position of No.1 – ‘The World’s Most Effective Agency’ (Effie’s). Currently, he’s working to lift MullenLowe MENA to equally lofty heights – In 2021 alone, they collected 130+ global Awards – and three ‘Agency of the Year’ titles, including the Campaign Tech’s ‘Global Agency of the Year’ and New York Festival’s ‘Regional Agency of the Year’ 2021. Out of the top 200 agencies on the Drum Report, MullenLowe ranked 17th in 2021. They were the AME Awards’ 2nd Most Awarded Agency Globally in 2021 and the Caples Awards’ 5th Most Awarded Agency Globally.
PR Lions
Lucy Harvey
Managing Director, Middle East, Turkey, India + Africa
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Middle East
Lucy has over two decades of experience in the communications industry. She has worked with some of the world’s most recognisable brands and is currently supporting the growth of the creative firepower of H+K through the development of its award-winning Studio and Innovation + Creative hub in the Middle East, Turkey, India, and Africa.
Now living in Dubai with her family, Lucy has developed and led memorable campaigns, and delivered professional trainings to leaders across the region’s C-suite. Lucy’s resume includes consumer launches, impactful government communications for national and global initiatives, and effective internal campaigns. She champions the intersection of technical innovation and creativity, something the team at H+K are working on; but is most impressed by insightful ideas that are brought to life with simplicity, beauty and clarity. A big believer in giving back, Lucy is known in the industry as an ardent champion of nurturing young talent.
Currently listed in the PRWeek Middle East Power Book, she has been actively involved with Dubai Lynx as a coach and mentor in the See It Be it programme for young female talent, and is a regular judge and speaker for awards, seminars, and workshops.
Originally from the UK, Lucy previously worked for Freud Communications and in video production at The Press Association.
Creative Commerce Lions
Ali Cheikhali
Creative Strategy Lead – Creative Works MENA/TR/SSA
Google
Ali is an award-winning Creative Strategy Lead who works with brands and agencies across MENA, Turkey and SSA on maximizing their creative impact to solve critical business problems. In his role, he pushes the boundaries of Google’s tools and platforms to drive innovative work at the intersection of data, technology, and creativity. Before joining Google from the agency world, Ali was one of the most awarded creative strategists in MENA. The Drum’s ‘Big Won Rankings’ ranked him among the Top 20 Planners Worldwide in 2018 and the B&W Report named him MENA’s Planner of the Year in 2017.
Today, Ali enjoys being on the judging side of top award shows such as Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, WARC and New York Festivals in addition to teaching his Design Thinking & Product Creation course at Miami Ad School. Outside of work, and when he’s not agonizing over his favorite football team’s performances, he spends most of his time as a self-proclaimed food and filmmaking critic.
The initial stages of judging will take place remotely, with a cohort of Shortlist jury from the UAE to be announced over the week ahead.
On the judging at the Cannes Lions 2022 Festival, Philip Thomas, Chairman, LIONS, said, “The return of the physical Festival to Cannes in June allows us once again to bring the juries together in person to define the benchmark of creativity.”
The Cannes Lions Festival will take place between 20-24 June, and will be accessible to everyone, and delegate registration is now open. If anyone is unable to travel for any reason, LIONS Members get exclusive digital access to Cannes Lions – plus a series of other benefits, throughout the year.
More information on this year’s Cannes Lions jury can be found at canneslions.com/jury.
Cinépolis Cinemas – Al Hokair Time in Jizan is the third location by the exhibitor in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Cinépolis Cinemas opened its third location in KSA – Al Hokair Time, in Jizan on 7 March 2022.
The 8-screen cinema includes a Macro XE auditorium – triple the size of an ordinary cinema that comes complete with laser technology and Dolby Atmos surround sound to create a powerful audio experience, and Junior auditorium which features a colourful jungle gym – complete with slide and ball pit, as well as fun bean-bag seating.
Cinépolis Cinemas is globally known for its legendary popcorn, and in the KSA, they have elevated their F&B offering by introducing a full-fledged menu ranging from the traditional bites such as popcorn chicken, to local favorites such as dynamite shrimp.
Located on the ground floor of the popular Al Shati strip mall, Cinépolis – Al Hokair Time offers patron convenient and direct access from the parking lot to the cinema.
Alejandro Aguilera, CEO of Cinépolis Cinemas says: “As a brand that is present in over 18 countries, our goal was to bring our global expertise to the Saudi market. We are introducing a new type of cinema that focuses on service and customer experience. Simply put, Cinépolis Cinemas is a cinema for everyone.”
Cinépolis Cinemas presently operates 23 screens at 3 locations across 3 cities in Saudi Arabia.
Contact us to advertise your brand across the Cinépolis cinema circuit.
Source: Cinépolis press release.
The 94th Academy Awards Winners were held at the Dolby theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday 28 March 2022. Hollywood’s biggest night saw awards across 23 categories —eight of which were handed out in the hour before the ceremony.
The award ceremony featured musical performances by Beyonce, Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, Reba McEntire, Sebastián Yatra, Travis Barker, Sheila E. and Robert Glasper.
The Night’s Presenters included Rachel Zegler (arriving at the Oscars after not originally being invited), Lady Gaga, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Murray, Jacob Elordi, Venus and Serena Williams, DJ Khaled, Jennifer Garner, H.E.R., Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, Tony Hawk, Bill Murray, Elliot Page, Kelly Slater, Tracee Ellis Ross, Uma Thurman, Kevin Costner, Zoë Kravitz, Rosie Perez, Chris Rock, Ruth E. Carter, Jason Moma, Josh Brolin, Shaun White, and many more — including last year’s acting winners Daniel Kaluuya, Anthony Hopkins, and Yuh-Jung Youn.
Here is the full list of winners from the 94th Academy Awards:
BEST PICTURE
Winner: CODA
Other nominees: Don’t Look Up, Dune, Belfast, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, King Richard, Nightmare Alley, Drive My Car, The Power of the Dog
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Other nominees: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza; Steven Spielberg, West Side Story; Kenneth Branagh, Belfast; Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Other nominees: Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter; Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos; Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers; Kristen Stewart, Spencer
BEST ACTOR
Winner: Will Smith — King Richard
Other nominees: Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog; Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom!, Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth; Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Winner: Billie Eilish and Finneas, “No Time to Die,” – No Time to Die
Other nominees: “Dos Oruguitas,” Encanto; “Be Alive,” King Richard; “Down to Joy,” Belfast; “Somehow You Do,” Four Good Days
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Winner: Summer of Soul
Other nominees: Flee, Ascension, Attica, Writing with Fire
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: CODA
Other nominees: The Power of the Dog, The Lost Daughter, Dune, Drive My Car
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Belfast
Other nominees: Licorice Pizza, Don’t Look Up, King Richard, The Worst Person in the World
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Winner: Cruella
Other nominees: Dune, Nightmare Alley, Cyrano, West Side Story
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Winner: Drive My Car
Other nominees: The Worst Person in the World, Flee, The Hand of God, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Troy Kotsur, CODA
Other nominees: Kodi Smit-Mcphee, The Power of the Dog; Ciarán Hinds, Belfast; J.K. Simmons, Being the Ricardos; Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: Encanto
Other nominees: Luca, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Flee, Raya and the Last Dragon
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Winner: Dune
Other nominees: Spider-Man: No Way Home, Free Guy, No Time To Die, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
BEST SOUND
Winner: Dune
Other nominees: The Power of the Dog, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Nightmare Alley, West Side Story
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Other nominees: Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog; Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard; Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter; Judi Dench, Belfast
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Winner: Dune
Other nominees: Dune, Nightmare Alley, The Power of the Dog, The Tragedy of Macbeth, West Side Story
BEST FILM EDITING
Winner: Dune
Other nominees: The Power of the Dog, Don’t Look Up, Tick, Tick … Boom!, King Richard
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Winner: Dune
Other nominees: The Power of the Dog, Parallel Mothers, Don’t Look Up, Encanto
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Winner: The Long Goodbye
Other nominees: The Dress, On My Mind, Please Hold, Ala Kachuu – Take and Run
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Winner: The Windshield Wiper
Other nominees: Robin Robin, Boxballet, Affairs of the Art, Bestia
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Winner: The Queen of Basketball
Other nominees: Audible, Lead Me Home, Three Songs for Benazir, When We Were Bullies
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Winner: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Other nominees: Coming 2 America, Cruella, Dune, House of Gucci
BEST SOUND
Winner: Dune
Other nominees: Belfast, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, West Side Story
Source: Oscars
Muvi Boulevard Riyadh City is the largest cinema in Saudi Arabia, and the biggest in the world by seating capacity.
Saudi homegrown cinema brand Muvi Cinemas opened the Kingdom’s largest cinema at Boulevard Riyadh City on 02 March, 2022.
The cinema boasts a total of 25 screens and features a variety of unique concepts.
For VIP experiences, the cinema offers four luxury Muvi Suites and four Muvi Boutique auditoriums – theatres with a theme of a city or popular place such as London, Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
Two Muvi Junior screens are available for children aged three to twelve years with a party room attached to celebrate special occasions.
Muvi Boulevard Riyadh City is also home to a 4DX and Xperience screen powered by CGS for an immersive cinema experience.
The official launch of Muvi Cinemas’ newest and largest venue was held in conjunction with the grand premiere of ‘The Batman’. Sultan Al Hokair, founder and Chief Executive Officer at Muvi Cinemas, said, “The launch of our newest Muvi Cinema at Riyadh Boulevard City was a great moment for both the Muvi brand and film lovers alike. As the largest movie theatre in Saudi Arabia, our customers will experience best-in-class entertainment while enjoying the latest cinematic technologies.”
The opening ceremony of the cinema and screening of ‘The Batman’ were attended by a distinguished list of guests and industry officials.
Muvi Cinemas presently operates 195 screens across 20 locations in 9 cities of Saudi Arabia.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities at Muvi – Boulevard Riyadh City.
Source: Muvi Cinemas
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gradually introduced the multiverse through various installments of its four phases, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will finally dive headfirst into the weirdness.
In Spider-Man: No Way Home doctor strange cast a spell that went wrong, cracking open the multiverse, allowing parallel universes to collide. The first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was shown to audiences after the movie, replacing the typical post-credits scene in a Marvel Studios picture. “Things just got out of hand,” Dark Strange adds ominously in the trailer, implying that there might be more problems with the multiverse at large.
As we anxiously wait to see how everything will unfold, here is everything we know so far about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness:
Appearances in the MCU
The Prequel: Doctor Strange 2016
Doctor Stephen Strange was given a thorough origin story when we first met him: a skilled surgeon who crippled his hands in a car accident. Under the guaidance of the ‘Ancient One’ played by Tilda Swinton, he soon became the ‘Sorcerer Supreme’, guarding all things enchanted, including the time stone, which Thanos later used to wipe out half of the universe. The film grossed a staggering US$ 677.8 million worldwide.
Other Appearances
Though the Multiverse of Madness is only the second solo outing of Doctor Strange, this is Cumberbatch’s sixth time playing the hero on the big screen: He showed up briefly in Thor: Ragnarok, played a pivotal role in Avengers: Infinity War, was instrumental in Avengers: Endgame and will also be appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Behind The Scenes
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is directed by Sam Raimi. Scott Derrickson, who directed the prequel, was tapped to direct this sequel, but he dropped out owing to artistic differences. The story was written by Michael Waldron, who also created the Disney+ series Loki, while the music is by Danny Elfman. Michael Giacchino has been replaced by the renowned composer, who has worked on multiple Sam Raimi films, including the first two Spider-Man flicks.
Cast
The movie sees the return of the main cast; Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Benedict Wong as Wong, Rachel McAdams as Doctor Christine Palmer, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo. Both Doctor Strange and Wong appeared in the Infinity Saga’s final two Avengers films and Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Wong additionally making an appearance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. According to Rolling Stone magazine, Doctor Strange almost made an appearance in WandaVision before being cut from the series finale. While McAdams plays Palmer in the Disney+ animated series, What If…?, Palmer and Mordo have been absent from Marvel films since 2016. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness properly reunites the cast for the first time in years.
Plot
The only thing we knew about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is that it’ll continue to follow Dr. Stephen Strange’s research on the time stone. The film is set after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and will explore the multiverse of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kevin Feige, according to Bloomberg, has stated that the film will also tie in with the Disney+ series Loki.
New Characters and Cameos
The only confirmed newbie is America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), also called Miss America in the comics.
The teen superhero is one of the Young Avengers in the comics. While it’s unlikely that the Young Avengers will form in this movie, it’s worth noting that she isn’t the first member of the Young Avengers to join the MCU recently. Other Young Avengers include Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld, Hawkeye), Elijah Bradley (Elijah Richardson, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Billy Maximoff (Julian Hilliard, WandaVision) and Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton, Ant-Man: Quantumania). Their introductions being so close together probably isn’t a coincidence.
Patrick Stewart Despite previously denying his involvement in the upcoming MCU film, has now entertained the possibility of a meeting between Cumberbatch’s sorcerer and his professor Xavier – and seemingly confirmed he will indeed appear in the film directed by Sam Raimi.
Villain in the Multiverse
The ‘old friend turned enemy’ line almost certainly points to Ejiofor’s Mordo, who began to fulfil his comics destiny during the end credits of Doctor Strange by starting his shift toward supervillainy. He certainly fits the bill of a frenemy to Strange, making him the obvious choice.
But Marvel’s never been shy about zigzagging away from the obvious choice. Many fans suspect that the actual villain could be Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, who was last seen in WandaVision honing her magic skills in isolation and in possession of the Darkhold, a book of black magic she took after besting rival witch Agatha Harkness in battle.
There’s also the possibility that Doctor Strange will be fighting… Doctor Strange. That is an evil variation of Doctor Strange from another timeline.
Trailers
The first look at Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness debuted during the post-credits for Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was released in theaters on Dec. 17.
On Dec. 22, Marvel shared the teaser trailer online alongside a quote from Doctor Strange that read, “The Multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little.”
On Feb. 13, Marvel shared the official trailer online after it aired during the 2022 Super Bowl.
Recommended Catch ups
The good news is that you won’t need to rewatch every Marvel movie to comprehend this one, though a rewatch of Doctor Strange (2016) will likely be worthwhile, if only to refresh your memory on the movie series’ delightfully surreal aesthetics.
On the streaming side, Disney+’s WandaVision and Loki are also recommended catch ups in order to fully understand what ‘In the Multiverse of Madness’ has in store.
Release Date
The film was originally set to open before Spider-Man: No Way Home. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film experienced multiple delays. For now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is slated for release on 05 May, 2022 (a push-back from a previously intended March 2022 release).
Don’t miss out on advertising alongside this MEGA blockbuster. Contact us for more information on cinema advertising opportunities.
Nissan Egypt in partnership with VOX Cinemas Egypt and Warner Bros., sponsored an early premiere of ‘The Batman’ to support the launch of the limited-edition Juke Kiiro.
The premiere took place on 01 March, 2022 at VOX Cinemas – City Centre Almaza, one day prior the blockbuster’s much-anticipated release. The premiere was attended by several individuals from various Industries, as well as five lucky winners of the Nissan social media competition. The Juke Kiiro brand was on display on the Cairo Tower at the same time as the premiere, sharing the spotlight with both ‘The Batman’ and VOX Cinemas.
‘The Batman’, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffery Wright, and Paul Dano, has surpassed $598 million at the global box office (Box Office Mojo), making it Warner Bros.’ biggest hit since Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker in 2019.
Watch our Sizzle Reel for the upcoming list of blockbusters and contact us to display your brand in cinema.
Muvi Boutique – Tala Mall in Riyadh is the first of its kind to open in Saudi Arabia, as part the roll-out in the Kingdom by the cinema exhibitor
Saudi Arabia’s first homegrown cinema brand Muvi Cinemas opened the county’s first boutique cinema in Riyadh on 25 November 2021.
The compact boutique-themed-cinema offers four screens with a total of 383 seats.
In keeping with other Muvi Cinemas locations, Muvi Boutique – Tala Mall centered around the theme of urban downtown, with a design by Chapman and Taylor from the UK. The state-of-the-art cinema is designed to create an experience that takes patrons on a new cinematic journey.
The cinema is part of Tala Mall located on the King Abdul Aziz Road, Riyadh, which is home to a variety of retail outlets, supermarkets, restaurants, and a Kid’s zone.
Together with the opening of Boulevard Riyadh (in December 2021), Muvi Cinemas presently operates 195 screens across 20 locations in 9 cities across Saudi Arabia.
*More information on Boulevard Riyadh to follow
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities at Muvi Boutique – Tala Mall
Muvi Cinemas – Al-Yasmin Mall, Jeddah is fifth location by the operator in Jeddah.
Muvi Cinemas opened its twentieth location at Jeddah’s Al-Yasmin Mall on 20thJanuary 2022, extending the homegrown cinema chain’s network.
The latest cinema boasts 9 Screens with a total of 1,339 seats and features an Xperience screen for large screen cinema experience.
The 60,000 sq m, Yasmin Mall is an upbeat family friendly shopping mall and is home for 210 retail outlets and has a variety of entertainment and leisure options.
Together with the openings of muvi Boutique – Tala Mall and Boulevard Riyadh (which opened in December 2021), Muvi Cinemas presently operates 174 screens across 20 locations in 9 cities across Saudi Arabia.
*More information on muvi Boutique – Tala Mall (Riyadh), Boulevard Riyadh (Riyadh) to follow soon.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities on the screens of Muvi Cinemas – Al-Yasmin Mall.
Sources : Muvi, Saudi Gazzette
The Super Bowl is a high-stakes game, and the ads and trailers aired during the event, in addition to the half-time performance, is as exciting as the game itself. With millions tuning in every year, the Super Bowl has become a prime advertising opportunity for big- companies, and studios hoping to whip up excitement for their upcoming blockbuster releases.
From the trailers of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and Jurassic World Dominion, to ads from brands such as BMW and Booking.com, here’s what wowed the viewers and fans at Super Bowl LVI:
Ambulance
In this breakneck thriller from director-producer Michael Bay, decorated veteran Will Sharp desperate for money to cover his wife’s medical bills, asks for help from the one person he knows he shouldn’t—his adoptive brother Danny – a charismatic career criminal, Danny instead offers him a score: the biggest bank heist in Los Angeles history.
Release Date: 07 April 2022
Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jake Gyllenhaal, Eiza González
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
When Dr. Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
Release Date: 07 April 2022
Starring: Ben Schwart, Idris Elba, Jim Carrey
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Since he tampered with a forbidden spell (No Way Home) that opened the door to the multiverse, Dr.Strange has been unhinging the reality –which leads to an important question from Wanda. Why is he considered a hero when he does it, but she a villain? Get ready to experience ‘a new dimension of Strange’. Probably the much awaited trailer of the Super Bowl.
Release Date: 05 May 2022
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams
Jurassic World Dominion
Even though the plot in this third installment from the franchise is kept under wraps, one thing is sure: Jurassic Park/World fans will be thrilled to see Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and the original Jurassic Park trio all together in one movie!
Release Date: 10 June 2022
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern
Nope
Oscar winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out (2017) and then Us (2019). Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.
Release Date: 21 July 2022
Starring: Keke Palmer, Barbie Ferreira, Daniel Kaluuya
See the full line-up of blockbusters releasing in 2022 in our Sizzle Reel.
Porsche/Top Gun: Maverick
Porsche is bringing the speed in Top Gun: Maverick. Playing on the original movie’s “I feel the need for speed” quote, the trailer showcases snippets of the movie in-between promotional footage of some of Porsche’s cars.
BMW
Zeus (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is underwhelmed by all earthly electric things and becomes a shell of his former self. But right when we think all hope is lost, his wife, Hera (Salma Hayek), introduces him to the all-electric BMW iX and helps mighty Zeus reclaim his spark.
Squarespace
Zendaya plays the role of Sally, who is looking to grow her seashell business, so she creates a store on Squarespace, which helps her become a seaside sensation.
Booking.com
In this ‘Big Game’ ad, Idris Elba takes you on a special journey into the heart and soul of Booking.com. In a way that only he could pull off. While staying on-script – mostly.
Lay’s
Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd remember some beautiful moments together that all revolve around Lay’s Potato Chips. Stay tuned until the end.
Verizon
We have officially entered the era of Cable Guy nostalgia. Jim Carrey reprises his role from the movie only to learn that cable is a thing of the past.
Kia
Every dog deserves to find their forever home. Even Robo Dog, who risks it all in Kia’s ‘Big Game’ ad to live fully charged with the all-electric Kia EV6. Kia’s Robo Dog is probably the ad that made the viewers tear up as they feel affectionate towards the #Robodog.
Amazon
What if Alexa could read your mind? That’s the issue plaguing real-world couple Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost in this ad for Amazon’s home-based helper.
Flamin’ Hot Doritos and Cheetos
A group of animals are in the forest beatboxing the song “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa, with a bunch of Flamin’ Hot chips nearby. What more could you want?
Nissan
The ad introduces Nissan’s brand-new range of 2023 high-tech models – Nissan Z and the all-electric Nissan Ariya. Eugene Levy stars as a high-octane pedal-to-the-metal action star, along with Brie Larson, Dave Bautista, and Danai Gurira.
Chevrolet
Continuing the all-electric vehicle trend of the evening, Chevrolet channeled ‘The Sopranos’ for a commercial starring Jamie-Lynn Sigler set to the show’s iconic theme.
Watch all the Super Bowl 2022 commercials here.
Source: Gamespot
