Dubai: Abu Dhabi's years of investing in big budget feature films paid off on Sunday night when one of ImageNation's co-productions, The Help, received an Academy Award, the first for the production company.
The film's star Octavia Spencer walked away with the best supporting actress Oscar at the ceremony in Hollywood.
The film, which Image Nation co-produced the film with Participant Media, follows the lives of maids in segregated 1960s Mississippi and is based on the bestseller of the same name.
"We are extremely proud for Abu Dhabi to be associated with such a successful and recognised film," said Image Nation chairman Mohammad Al Mubarak.
"I want to extend our heartiest congratulations to Octavia and all involved. In 2011, we were happy to have the film's producer Brunson Green in Abu Dhabi to meet with aspiring filmmakers and we expect him to return in the near future to share his experience in the film industry. Brunson is a perfect example of how our international partnerships provide guidance and support to aspiring filmmakers from the UAE."
Image Nation CEO Michael Garin in a statement said: "Building the foundations of a motion picture industry remain the focus for Image Nation. We hope that one day one of our Emirati filmmakers could be on stage accepting on Oscar for him or herself."
Meanwhile, Dubai made its own appearance in the ceremony, in an opening sequence in which show host Billy Crystal inserted himself into footage of Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. He was seen jumping out of a Burj Khalifa window, much as Tom Cruise, a presenter on the night, does in the blockbuster film.
