Dubai activist filmmaker, philanthropist and entrepreneur Zenofar Fathima has become the latest name in both local and international cinema to receive the highly sought after UAE Golden Visa. As per the UAE government’s official sources, the UAE “Golden Visa” is a long-term residency visa awarded to foreign talents to work or study in the UAE whilst reaping exclusive benefits such as a long term, renewable visa valid for 10 years, 100% ownership of their business , and more.
It is granted to high achievers, investors, professionals across different fields with outstanding prospects and talents. Past recipients of the Golden Visa include Malayalam household names such as Mohanlal and Mammootty, as well as Bollywood personalities such as Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan. Fathima was awarded the Golden Visa under the title of Movie Producer, making her the first female Indian expat in the UAE to receive the title.
“It is honestly a dream come true, having been awarded the prestigious Golden Visa by doing what I love doing most: making movies and telling stories that matter. I truly laud the UAE Government for such an amazing initiative and for bestowing me with this privilege”, said Fathima. The Indian expat, who has resided in the UAE for more than 30 years, is well known in the UAE for her thought-provoking short films, which often raise awareness about pertinent societal issues such as domestic violence and internet safety. Fathima and her brainchild, Zen Film Productions had also gained international recognition in 2020 for their COVID-19 short film trilogy. The trilogy sparked conversations about pandemic depression, doctor and front-liner sacrifices during the pandemic, and the public’s susceptibility to underestimating the COVID-19 virus. In a span of just 4 years, Fathima has produced and directed more than 20 short films and corporate projects.
The Dark Tale filmmaker thanked Quickstep Business Consulting and Al Nahda Center for their facilitation and cooperation in procuring the Golden Visa.
Quickstep Business Consulting is an ever-growing business setup consultancy in Dubai, UAE. The organization provides a range of services such as legal consultancy, PRO and administrative services for new businesses, as well as Golden Visa and other visa services. Serving a variety of clientele, Quickstep is an experienced service provider that boasts the ability to provide tailored business solutions to organizations of every scale.
The Al Nahda Center, located in Al Qusais, consists of a myriad of departments such as Amer, Dubai Economy and Tawjeeh, allowing for convenience and hassle-free documentation processing. “Al Nahda Center was so easy to navigate and very comfortable as well. A very big thank you to the Center and Miss Nada Sultan who helped expedite the process, making the experience easy and prompt,” said Fathima. The filmmaker is currently preparing for the release of her meta short film Ayah, in association with Firdaus Studio by AR Rahman.
