Chinese blockbuster Switch returns to Dubai for MENA release

Chinese blockbuster Switch is due to be released in the MENA region today by distributor Gulf Film. The film is directed by Jay Sun and produced by China Film Group. Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC), Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Emirates Airline and Dubai-based production company Filmworks, all helped bring the film to life in Dubai.

Switch, which has become one of China’s largest grossing films of all time, marks yet another successful collaboration between international filmmakers and Dubai’s production industry; where public and private entities, locations, and local filmmakers have all pulled together to help shoot a large portion of the film in Dubai. Switch features Dubai’s iconic landmarks such as Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa and Atlantis, The Palm, as well as the picturesque landscapes of the rolling sand dunes and the waters of the Arabian Gulf.

DFTC partnered with DTCM to support the entire filmmaking process in Dubai, while Emirates also played a role in the film with the airline’s, Airbus A380 aircraft acting as  a location for one of the film’s fast-paced action-scenes. Any international project filming in Dubai requires a strong and experienced local production partner. Leading Dubai production company Filmworks worked tirelessly to ensure that both the shoot and the final film were a success.

In the first half of 2013 alone, DFTC has already facilitated the Dubai-based shoots for several notable productions, including Farah Khan’s and Shah Rukh Khan’s latest collaboration – Happy New Year, other Indian films such as Ramaiya Vastavaiya, Ladies and Gentleman and Mental, episodes of MasterChef Australia, and Arabic TV serials such as Mohal and Ya Malak Kalbi. Looking back at the year, Dubai’s film and TV industry is a true testament to the city’s ability to host a diverse range of productions, from smaller-scale commercials to large-scale, challenging feature-length films.

Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of Dubai Film & TV Commission, commented on Switch and the growing bond between Dubai and China: “Switch embodies the significance of Dubai’s impressive film industry to China. Dubai’s involvement in Switch began at the Shanghai World Expo 2010, where discussions were held between Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and Switch’s film-makers. Three years on and the film has been released – showcasing the beautiful variety of Dubai’s landscapes – coinciding with Dubai’s bid for the World Expo 2020.”