Emirati horror film ‘Grandmother’s Farm’ is back

One year after their crazy adventure in the Emirati horror comedy Grandmother’s Farm (Mazraat Yado), the boys are back. And this time they’re going on a road trip from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.

A sleeper hit last year, the Ahmad Zain-directed film followed a group of friends who spend a weekend at their friend’s farmhouse, only to come face to face with a mysterious unwelcome guest who’s determined to turn their peaceful evening into total chaos.

The film did so well, Zain was encouraged to make a second part.

“The reception was amazing. And people kept encouraging me on social media and other places to make a second one, so I gave in,” laughs Zain, an Abu Dhabi-based filmmaker.

Grandmother’s Farm, which premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival in 2013, had a five-week run across the UAE last year, unheard of for an out-and-out commercial Emirati film.

The film recouped its Dh300,000 budget and made enough to cover about 50 per cent of the second part, simply called Grandmother’s Farm 2, currently showing across the UAE.

“For the first part, we spent everything from our own pockets and so many people worked for free. It was a very low-budget setting,” explains Zain, a mechanical engineer by day who’s been making short films for the last 13 years. “For the second part, you will notice the production is a bit more slick as we had a lot more people involved in it, including TwoFour54 and the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (Admaf).

Distributor Dhekra Ouali, of Real Dream Media, was involved with the first film, and has also taken on the sequel.

“With the first film, we were testing the market for such films. Then, after it was so successful in Abu Dhabi, we took it national. And for this second part, we knew we just had to take this on too,” she says.

The film’s stuck a chord with people, adds Ouali, who’s a filmmaker herself.

“It’s a fun, light story, and it’s about family and friendships, made by people from here. Yes, audiences here like to see Hollywood and Bollywood films, but they also want to see their stories, with local anecdotes, told in a fun way.”

Director Zain agrees.

“These are my people. I know what kind of movie they want. They want to enjoy something from the UAE, something in our language, showing our clothes and all the things related to us,” he says.

In Grandmother’s Farm 2, the boys finally get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings in the farm, but also have a more sinister being to deal with on their road trip. The journey also gave Zain the chance to showcase the beauty of the UAE.

Filming took place in January, and was completed within a 20-day schedule. With post-production, the film’s cost him half a million dirhams so far.

“The story continues from the first part and we explain what really happens to some of the characters in the original movie,” he explains, adding that he’s already being encouraged to make a third film.

“This is the first ever film in the Gulf with a sequel. It will be an honour to have Part 3.”

Don’t miss it

Grandmother’s Farm (Mazraat Yado) 2 is currently showing in the UAE.