Dubai-based producer Tim Smythe who lured Hollywood films such as ‘Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol’, ‘Syriana’ and ‘The Kingdom’ into the UAE, died on Monday evening of an unspecified illness, officials from his production company Filmworks confirmed to tabloid!. He was 54.
Details of funeral arrangements were yet to be confirmed at the time of going to print.
Smythe was a known name in the local film industry, and a pioneer in attracting major films shoots into this region. He also backed UAE’s celebrated home-grown feature ‘City Of Life’.
In an interview with tabloid! during the Dubai International Film Festival last year, he harboured bigger dreams of bringing Hollywood productions into the UAE.
“Mission: Impossible team was going to come for three days. I said ‘no’ and they came back with a bigger offer ... we have to target the best,” said Smythe.
Smythe, who has over 25 years work experience in the film business, moved from South Africa to Dubai. He set up Filmworks in 1998 and the company has grown into one of the biggest film companies in the region.