The polished, demure Watts was somewhat guarded in her responses (western-actor-speaks-to-Middle-East-press-syndrome?) and expressed some surprise when questioned about her on-location shooting in Jordan and Cairo for her upcoming new political thriller about former CIA agent Valerie Palme. The movie which will be partly funded by Abu Dhabi film production company Imagenation and features Sean Penn, will be released next year. “It is a daunting task and a story that has made an impact….and you want to do your best especially if the character you play is alive.”
The press conference itself took place in the MEIFF festival tent and was led by the dour and humourless David D’Arcy who succeeded in putting a damper on what could have been a more exciting affair (Where is the more exuberant Peter Scarlet when we need him most??). Naomi praised the lavish Emirates Palace where she is staying and said she looked forward to a tour of Abu Dhabi before her return. “So far so good….the hotel is magnificent, and I hope I get out into the city,” she said.
Naomi said that the movie director is usually the main criteria she uses when deciding to do a film, and she praised her work with Peter Lynch and Woody Allen. She also emphasized the importance of a quality script, “You know from the first five pages of a script if the film speaks to you.”
MEIFF has done a great job putting Abu Dhabi on the map. What would be interesting is to see how Imagenation defines itself as a film production company; not just in its commercial choices, but its strategic ones. Maybe finally Arabs and the Middle East will finally get a fairer representation in the land of movies. I think you know what I mean.
