Visionary filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja, the UAE's first female director and producer, is breaking new ground once again with her latest feature film, BAAB - a haunting, female-led psychological drama that transforms grief into an immersive, sensory exploration of the human mind.

Supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture's National Grant for Culture and Creativity and produced by Sultan Saeed Al Darmaki, BAAB stands as a cultural milestone for Emirati cinema. The film is set to make history as the first Emirati feature by a female director to premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF). The Arab world's longest-running and only FIAPF“A category” film festival is slated to take place from November 12 to November 21.

“To stand in Cairo as the first Emirati woman with a feature in the festival's history is more than symbolic; it marks a turning point in how the region receives Emirati cinema,” says Nayla Al Khaja.“BAAB is not built on spectacle, but on psychological excavation through sound, silence, and what remains unseen.”

Set against the remote mountains of Ras Al Khaimah, BAAB follows a woman consumed by the loss of her twin sister. Plagued by the persistent sound of tinnitus, her grief blurs the line between memory and imagination, reality and illusion. Through silence, shadow, and sound, the film explores the fragile boundary between life and death, turning the desert into a surreal mirror of the mind.

BAAB brings together a world-class creative team, including two-time Academy Award winner AR Rahman, composing his first-ever score for an Arabic film, and acclaimed cinematographer Rogier Stoffers, ASC, NSC (Quills, School of Rock, Mongol). Rahman's evocative score intertwines sound and sorrow, while Stoffers' masterful imagery captures the emotional landscape with sculptural precision.

Produced by Sultan Saeed Al Darmaki, Nayla Al Khaja, and Jude S. Walko, under Dark Dunes Productions, BAAB represents a landmark collaboration between Emirati storytellers and international talent, bridging local heritage with global cinematic artistry.

Filmed entirely in the UAE, BAAB united more than 140 artists and technicians, including 20 Emiratis across key creative roles. Following its world premiere in Cairo, the film will embark on a wide MENA theatrical release in early 2026 through VOX Distribution, marking one of the most extensive regional releases for an independently financed Emirati feature.

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