Abu Dhabi to host ME premiere of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

Abu Dhabi - "The Abu Dhabi premiere is going to be an exclusive experience," a twofour54 spokesperson told Khaleej Times.

The latest and much talked about Star Wars: The Force Awakens will have its Middle Eastern premiere in Abu Dhabi on December 16, at Emirates Palace.
The screening will be a red carpet, invitation-only event organised by twofour54 in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and the Walt Disney Company.
"The Abu Dhabi premiere is going to be an exclusive experience," a twofour54 spokesperson told Khaleej Times.
Although no further details have been unveiled, twofour54 confirmed that celebrities from the Middle East will be attending the premiere. Star Wars stars may also walk the Emirates Palace red carpet, but no name has been confirmed yet.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens returns "home" nearly two years after filming began, in May 2014. With assistance from twofour54 and the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, filming for the movie took place among the desert dunes of Liwa, in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi emirate, before moving on to studio filming in England. Over 650 cast and crew worked on the two locations.
According to starwars.com, in the movie, Abu Dhabi plays Jakku, "a frontier desert planet in a remote section of the Outer Rim Territories".
This seventh Star Wars episode, The Force Awakens, is directed by JJ Abrams, starring Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia).
"Having Star Wars: The Force Awakens screen in Abu Dhabi prior to its general release is a real validation for how successful the filming was whilst the production was here," said Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of twofour54.
"To date, all of the trailers and TV spots for the film have included scenes from Abu Dhabi, which have generated unprecedented excitement around the globe. We are very proud of our achievements and excited for audiences around the world to experience Abu Dhabi on the big screen," she added.
Following the December 16 premiere, the two hours 16 minutes The Force Awakens will be released in cinemas across UAE the following day.
silvia@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi