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ZENOFAR FATHIMA’S FIRST EVER ESCAPE ROOM SERIES SPECTER: BLACK OUT SET IN UAE TO PREMIERE THIS AUGUST ON STARZPLAY

Zenofar Fathima, film director, producer, and Chief Executive Officer of boutique film production company Zen Film Productions is now set to launch her long-awaited escape room series Specter: Black Out this August on STARZPLAY, one of the region’s top three subscription video on demand services. The series delves into an ensemble of individuals from different walks of life who are mysteriously invited to visit an escape room for a casting call audition.

Directed by Zenofar Fathima and Afraah Farhana, Specter: Black Out is anticipated to make waves in the GCC, with the series being acclaimed as the first ever escape room series to ever be produced. “Of course, Specter: Black Out being one of the first ever escape room series is not to be taken lightly - it is a great accolade to have. I am very thrilled to have brought this vision to life and am even more excited for my fans and well-wishers to watch the series this summer on STARZPLAY,” says Fathima.

The project sees Fathima - who has directed and produced over 20 shorts on various topics such as COVID-19 and cyber extortion- combine her social activist filmmaking style with her wellknown penchant for the horror genre. “Horror was how I started making movies. It was the genre I had tested the waters with back when I kick-started my career in 2018. Social awareness, on the other hand, is the cornerstone of my every cinematic undertaking. It was very crucial that I combined the two to produce a powerful narrative that can not only entertain and spook audiences but resonate with them too,” explained Fathima. The filmmaker promises audiences a powerful social commentary rooted in significant subjects and moral dilemmas, thereby putting a spin on typical escape room films and shows.

The escape room thriller also features a collaboration between Zen Film Productions and BlackOut Realistic Horror Escape Games as the official location partner for the series. BlackOut, a renowned escape room brand with branches located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is helmed by homegrown organization Cave Entertainment. “BlackOut’s escape rooms offer an immersive experience for all players, and truly transport you to another world entirely, ultimately making it a very fitting choice for the series,” said Fathima.

With the first episode set to launch this August, the series’ debut season is estimated to have five to six episodes. Starring in the series’ ensemble cast includes Fathima, UAE lifestyle and fashion influencer Muhammad Junaid, award-winning emcee and host Joe Mohan, actor slash interior design entrepreneur Priya Telavvane, professionally trained method actor Allinson Louis Aranha, fashion designer slash actor Yasir Akhlaq and many more. Future episodes promise an additional lineup that will comprise more untapped talent of the GCC as well as seasoned celebrity actors and socialites.

Specter: Black Out is slated for release in August on STARZPLAY which is available for download on iOS, Android, and other internetenabled devices including smart TVs, and gaming consoles.