Abu Dhabi: National Geographic Abu Dhabi (NGAD) announced on Monday the release of its latest documentary film, on Global Village and the effort it takes to create a new season every year.
The film takes viewers behind the scenes of the cultural, shopping and entertainment destination, featuring rarely seen footage and interviews.
The 44-minute documentary, which will start airing on Wednesday, showcases the highly complex, large-scale and intensive work that goes into tearing down the old pavilions and building up new ones based on original concepts developed every single year — while working against the clock in gruelling conditions.
It also brings to life the design of the entertainment shows and the systems and manpower required to ensure the timely preparation and smooth running of such a large-scale operation.
“The National Geographic Abu Dhabi Global Village documentary shows the careful planning and care that goes into the design and development of all Global Village activities and activations, which has led to it being a mainstay delighting visitors and residents alike for over 20 years,” said Bader Anwahi, CEO of Global Village.
From a small home-grown concept back in 1997 located at Dubai Creek, Global Village has witnessed a meteoric rise with a huge increase in popularity, which led to its relocation in 2005 to its current location at Dubailand, spanning 1.6 million square metres.
The documentary showcases the refurbishment of each pavilion, F&B outlet, entertainment concept annually, including culture, shopping, food, entertainment and a funfair ground to more than 5.6 million visitors who pass through its doors every season.
“This has allowed us to deliver a highly ranked exceptional guest experience to a record-breaking number of seasonal guests through our adherence to the highest international quality standards while providing a diverse multi-cultural experience and through the tireless work of over 10,000 people,” added Anwahi.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Raina, General Manager, National Geographic Abu Dhabi MENA and Senior Vice-President, Fox Networks Group, said the aim of the documentary is to take viewers further on “a journey that brings to life the year-round tremendous efforts and workforce that go into the concept development, construction, creation and logistics of the Global Village.”
“We are very excited to bring Global Village to audiences across the region, which spotlights one of the most fascinating landmarks in the region and one of the most anticipated seasonal attractions in the UAE,” explained Raina. The film will be on air in Arabic on NGAD’s Free-to-Air channel on Wednesday at 10pm UAE and 9pm KSA.
