Red Sea International Film Festival

Nancy Paton the CEO of Desert Rose Films has partnered up with Meredith Brett at Flying Tiger Entertainment to produce the feature adaptation of Dr. Michele Ziolkowski’s children’s book trilogy The Boy Who Knew the Mountains, inspired by her own experiences raising a son on the autism spectrum and celebrates the natural majesty of the United Arab Emirates in a way that is rarely captured on screen. Mountain Boy is supported by Creative City Fujairah and the Abu Dhabi Film Commission and is being brought to life on the big screen by Nancy Paton who co-authored the screenplay. Emirati filmmaker Zainab Shaheen (“Journey of Hope,” “Dates to Mars” “Fujairah Vlog”) is set to direct.

Mountain Boy is an Arabic language live-action family adventure feature and a local UAE story that showcases the landscape, culture, and values of Emirati people – as well as grappling with the impact of the climate change on the country. The film is set to go into production in early 2023 and will provide a vehicle to train local crews in an independent production. Miranda Davidson is attached as Casting Director.

Mountain Boy follows Suhail, a young Emirati boy on the autism spectrum. Ostracized by villagers who don’t understand his differences, he lives alone in the mountains of Fujairah. His special affinity for the environment and his unique ability to make sense of the natural world takes him on adventures throughout the UAE, learning life lessons and gaining the confidence to return to his village. As he travels through the Emirates, Suhail's connection with nature brings him new adventures, new friends, and an increasing appreciation of his own abilities. This heart-warming tale looks at human interaction with the natural world through the eyes of a boy as he goes on an epic journey across diverse landscapes in order to rekindle family ties and find where he belongs.

“I am proud of everything Mountain Boy stands for” says Nancy Paton, “it celebrates neurodiversity, showcasing the incredible landscape and authentic culture of the UAE. Suhail’s adventures take him across the country and through a series of uniquely Emirati vistas, from charcoal mountains to the desert, beaches, and mangroves of this beautiful and diverse country.”

Meredith Brett, Executive Producer at Flying Tiger Entertainment added: It’s also not possible to look at the natural world and our relationship to it without facing the reality of climate change, and this project aims to do that in a way that is accessible and engaging for audiences of all ages.”

Mountain Boy plans to premiere at next year’s UN Climate Change Conference COP28 hosted in the UAE and use Dr. Michele Ziolkowski’s beautiful story to shine a light on the importance of preserving the environment and ecosystems of our homeland.