Actors Dhafer L’Abdine, Nelly Karim star in first Arabic vampire horror 'Bloodline'

Dhafer L’Abdine and Nelly Karim, two top actors from the Arab world, come together for a historic project, ‘Bloodline’, touted as the first ever vampire horror film from the region.

The movie by filmmaker Ramy Yasin will arrive on October 30, just in time for Halloween, and it will be available exclusively on streaming service Shahid VIP.

The film reunites lead actors Karim, who is Egyptian, and L’Abidine, who is Tunisian. The pair previously worked together on the critically acclaimed Arabic series ‘Taht Al Saytara’.

In ‘Bloodline’, they star as Lima and Nader, parents of twin boys, who devise an unorthodox plan to revive one of their sons after he slips into a coma. Initially successful, the plan starts to unravel once the boy begins to exhibit disturbing behaviours and sinister intentions.

The feature film is the first completed project under a landmark partnership between Image Nation Abu Dhabi, MBC Studios and Majid Al Futtaim, initially announced at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. The partnership aims to boost the film, TV and entertainment industry in the Arab world, by producing more exclusive regional content.

“Of course I was excited to take part in this production, because the role is completely different for me — and as the first Arabic-language vampire thriller — also different for audiences in the region. It made for a very unique experience and I am very happy with it,” says L’Abdine.

“This film was an incredible project to be a part of,” adds Karim. “It was fantastic to be reunited with Dhafer in our first feature film together, and I’m sure fans will be intrigued by our unconventional on-screen roles. This is an exceptional film for the region and I can’t wait for audiences to stream it this month.”

Writer and director Yasin said that, as an avid fan of vampire lore, ‘Bloodline’ had been a “dream project” for many years.