Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Spooky Pictures reveal that HOBA, a gripping psychological horror-thriller from acclaimed Emirati filmmaker Majid Al Ansari, will celebrate its world premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest this September. The festival hosted in Austin, Texas is one of the world’s leading showcases for bold, boundary-pushing cinema.
Marking the first Arabic-language Emirati feature on the Image Nation and Spooky Pictures slate, HOBA delivers a haunting, atmospheric story steeped in tension and emotional depth. It follows Amani (Emirati actress Bdoor Mohammed), a devoted wife whose world unravels when her husband returns home with a second wife, Zahra (Sarah Taibah, Saudi filmmaker and artist). But with Zahra comes something far more sinister, an unseen darkness that begins to consume their home, testing the limits of loyalty, love and survival.
The cast also features Eman Tarik as Noor, Amani’s daughter, and Jasem AlKharraz as her father Khalid. Behind the camera, Majid Al Ansari is joined by powerhouse producers Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Derek Dauchy and Rami Yasin, with Mohamed Hefzy and Yasir Al Yasiri as executive producers.
Following its Fantastic Fest premiere, HOBA will hit UAE cinemas on October 30, 2025, promising audiences an unforgettable descent into psychological terror. Image Nation Abu Dhabi will also have two other projects screening at Fantastic Fest under its successful partnership with Spooky Pictures, with the North American premiere of The Plague and the world premiere of the cult-genre film franchise V/H/S Halloween.