A lot can happen in 17 years. And in Dubai, a lot has. From its population growing from 1.77 million to four million, to carving the Dubai Canal in the middle of Business Bay, the Emirate is almost unrecognisable. 

And that’s exactly why pioneering Emirati film director Ali Mostafa is returning to his most famous film to date. “It’s been 17 years since that movie,” he says. “I felt people needed their own City of Life again, something that speaks to the Dubai of today.”

When it premiered in 2009, City of Life caused what Ali calls “good controversy”. The film’s portrayal of a young Emirati man learning from his mistakes and a taxi driver finding his way in the city was groundbreaking at a time when such candour was rare. 

“I showcased a life that exists,” Ali says. “It was the first time that had ever been done in the country’s history.” Despite resistance, the film was approved and released nationwide, its success setting a new benchmark for Emirati cinema.

 “There’s never been an honest film like that since,” says Ali confidently. Its impact was palpable. Seeing the city they know and love on the big screen in its true multifaceted expression was exciting for UAE residents at the time. 

City of Life also helped put Dubai on the global film stage. And, perhaps most impactful of all, it gave aspiring regional creatives the motivation to see that success was possible.  “Even incentives and other films wouldn’t exist if it hadn’t been for what City of Life did,” says Ali. “I have filmmakers today who say they became directors because of that movie.”

But legacy doesn’t mean things get easier – his next projects were still challenging. “It doesn’t matter how successful your project is,” he says. “It doesn’t mean the next one will be easier.” His sophomore film, A to B, a road-trip comedy about three friends driving across the Gulf from the UAE to Lebanon, took him five years to make. It premiered at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival in October 2014, a first for an Emirati production. 

However, even with a film festival debut and two successful projects under his belt, the road ahead wasn’t smooth. Ali still found it hard to make movies while simultaneously trying to build the infrastructure for the industry around him. “It doesn’t matter how many times a door you opened 20 years ago gets shut again, you just have to try and bust it open again,” he explains. 

This persistence paid off. His talent and determination caught the attention of Hollywood producers Peter Safran and Steven Schneider, who asked him (in collaboration with Image Nation) to direct the Arabic dystopian thriller The Worthy. “They saw potential in someone who was given a small budget and made it look big,” Ali reveals. This brought him international recognition again, as well as representation in LA.

With all these successes behind him, Ali’s driving force has never changed. He is still guided by an innate love of film that started very early. “My love of film was since I was a kid…since I was nine,” he says. “It was Star Wars. I wanted to create those worlds.” 

Long before studying at London Film School, Ali was making stop-motion sequences with his toys, inspired by classics like Jason and the Argonauts. “I used to stop the camera, move the toy, and start again, just to make it come alive,” he laughs. “I was gifted video cameras as a kid to keep pursuing it.”

Still, there came a time when the cameras stopped rolling for a while. After The Worthy, a combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and some personal challenges meant he had to step back from the camera for a while. “During that hiatus, regardless of the reason, I realised I didn’t like it. Film isn’t something I do – It’s who I am,” Ali shares. “I realised this is what truly makes me feel alive.”

He returned to set in 2024 for Khattaf, a story that follows an Emirati MMA fighter from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok. With his brother, Mohamed, as the star, Ali set out to raise the bar for Emirati TV. And, despite the “gruelling” long hours to make a Ramadan release date, the experience reignited his creative passions. “That show gave me the drive to keep doing this,” the director explains. 

Revitalised, Ali returned to the story that started it all, more than a decade and a half ago, with a sequel, City of Life – Continuum. Managing to get the project off the ground in under a year, Ali is paying homage to a city that’s metamorphosed before his eyes. 

Indeed, the film is a reflection of how far both the Emirate and its pioneering film-maker have come. “When I made the first City of Life, it was about showing a side of Dubai that people didn’t usually see,” he explains. “Back then, we showcased everything from Karama up to Barsha. This time, it’s everything from International City to the Palm, from a labourer to a billionaire.” 

At the core of the film series lies his desire to showcase the metropolis in its true essence. “This isn’t just what you see in Dubai Bling,” Ali notes. “It’s about everyone who lives here – the taxi driver, the security guard, the businessman. That’s what Dubai is.”

Revisiting his industry-changing magnum opus, Ali also says he was more determined than ever to grow the country’s ecosystem. “I tried to get it as homegrown as possible,” the creative shares. “Almost everyone on set was working on their first feature, from the costume designer to the producers to the scriptwriter.” It was a deliberate move to nurture local talent rather than import it. 

“I want to help the industry grow,” he explains. “To do that, we need to make sure we get people here rather than bringing them in from abroad.” The result, he admits, was occasionally challenging. “There were times when you could feel the inexperience,” he says, “but the passion took over.” That passion continues to define both him and the city. 

Ali is not stopping there. Even before City of Life – Continuum hits screens, he’s already started developing his next project – a thriller inspired by Jaws, set in the 1930s during the UAE’s pearl-diving era. “I’ve always wanted to make my version of Jaws, but set here,” he says. “It’s close to home; my great-grandfather built his business through pearl-diving, so there’s a lot of influence there.” 

Staying true to his heritage, the Emirati director plans to continue telling stories from his home country. And today, 17 years later, City of Life and Ali have come full circle, a testament to both the growth of the city and the unstoppable grit of the director driving its film industry forward. “We’ve proven we can succeed in every field,” Ali reflects. “Now it’s time we do the same in cinema.”

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