Sharjah 24: The recently opened Khorfakkan Amphitheatre was packed, on Tuesday, evening with 2,000 people, who came in from all over the UAE to Sharjah’s coastal city for the first public screening of the historical drama, Khorfakkan. The massive success of the opening show can perhaps be attributed to the fact that watching a movie, which recounts events that took place in the very location where the film is being screened, is a one-of-a-kind experience.
As you take your seat at the awe-inspiring 19,000 sqft Roman-style Khorfakkan Amphitheatre to watch the film, you immediately establish a physical connection with the nation’s centuries-old history. You are in the coastal city, not far away from the sites where hard battles were fought by thousands of locals who sacrificed their lives to put up a winning resistance against a Portuguese invasion in 1507.
The 120-minute Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) production, unveiled on December 15 to mark the inauguration of the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre, is much more than a memorable cinematic experience. It is, in fact, a unique human experience. Sitting under Khorfakkan’s clear night sky, one cannot help but feel proud of the nation’s heroic ancestors, and more importantly, a sense of belongingness to this quaint coastal town built upon centuries of hard work and sacrifices, keeping it safe for us and for future generations.
The success of the first public event hosted by the Khorfakkan Amphitheatre is a realisation of immense efforts put in by the SBA team to ensure that the venue was safe for people to come in. Despite the large turn-out, physical distancing and other precautionary measures were adhered to strictly at the 3,600-seater amphitheatre.
The film was followed by spectacular fireworks and a laser drone show, which concluded with the words “Thank You Sultan” that lit up the skies.
With a daily show at 7:30 pm until December 19, the film is based on the historical book, Khorfakkan's Resistance Against the Portuguese Invasion of September 1507, by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. It is directed by US and Irish filmmakers Ben Mole and Maurice Sweeney. Public safety at the venue is being ensure through collaborative work by Survey Planning Department, Khorfakkan Police, Civil Defense, and Khorfakkan City Municipality and Khorfakkan Municipal Council.
Khorfakkan will premier across local cinemas in the UAE on Thursday, December 17.
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