Arabic Tech Pioneer Mohammed Al-Sharekh Biopic in Works

Qatar-based pan-Arab content studio Katara Studios is developing a film about technology trailblazer Mohammed Al-Sharekh.

The biopic put a spotlight on his pivotal role in pioneering Arabic computing in the 1980s and making technology more accessible for Arabic speakers. 

Katara Studios describes the biopic project, unveiled in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as “an inspiring portrayal of a remarkable Arab figure, Mr. Mohamed Al Sharekh, the creator of Sakhr computers whose legacy continues to have an impact today.”

"Sakhr" is part of a four-picture slate that Katara is set to unveil at a showcase during the fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in the second-largest Saudi city on Saturday afternoon. 

Described by the company as its “first-ever content roadshow,” the event is seen as underlining its mission of crafting “authentic and universally resonant stories.”

HuThe script for the film is finished, with next steps including the selection of a director, followed by casting.

“This man was a pioneer really in the proper meaning of the word. He was the one that introduced Arabic programming,” Hussein Fakhry, Katara’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement. 

“Pretty much every house in the Middle East had a Sakhr computer. And if you ask anybody here who’s in their 40s or 50s, they will tell you immediately that they recognize Sakhr. There’s a nostalgia to it,".

How does the biopic fit into Katara’s vision? “It completely encapsulates what we’re trying to do as a studio,” the executive highlighted. “That is to tell Arab stories, authentic Arab stories, to a wider audience. And this is a beautiful story. This guy revolutionized computing and tech in this part of the world.”

The biopic features Bill Gates in the pioneer’s story.

The Kuwaiti partner on the project is Piston Marketing & Production that had a relationship with the Al-Sharekh family. “We jumped on it. We had two writers write the script, and they have done a beautiful job on it,” Fakhry said. “They went and spent a week with Mohammed Al-Sharekh, who has since passed away (in March), and his family to really understand the challenges and what he went through. This is where we come back to authenticity. His son is also involved as an executive producer. Because when things are done with love and authenticity, they have a much better chance of success.”