Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, premiered at Katara on Wednesday, two days ahead of its release in international theatres.
The British Embassy hosted the exclusive premiere of the British film at the Katara Drama Theatre, Building 16 in association with Katara, Aston Martin and Horizon automobiles.
Known for its signature musical theme, Bond’s lavish attire, fast cars, and his incredible gadgets, the James Bond franchise marked itself as a cultural symbol of the United Kingdom. The 23rd installment of the Bond series, Skyfall, features Daniel Craig in his third performance as James Bond, along with Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, the film’s villain, and the Oscar-winning film director Sam Mendes.
The British Ambassador, Michael O’Neill, said: “It is a great pleasure to work with Katara, Aston Martin, and Horizon Automobiles to bring the latest Bond movie to Doha. This event adds yet another building block to the UK-Qatar cultural partnership, which we are determined to strengthen further in 2013 and beyond.”
The Ambassador read out a short message sent from London by the real-life ‘M’ before the screening. In true James Bond style, its contents were of course strictly confidential.
Created in 1953 by writer, Ian Fleming who penned 12 novels and 2 short story collections featuring 007, the code name for James Bond, the fictional British secret service agent, the film made it to the big screen in 1962, starring Sean Connery in Dr No. Six movie icons have played the 007 character, capturing the hearts of millions of Bond fans over the years.
Dr Emad Sultan, Cultural Affairs Director, Katara commented, “Crowning 50 years since the creation of the 007 legend, we are proud to partner with the British Embassy to present this iconic film. Skyfall offers a classic blend of epic action, thrill and drama which captures the true essence of classic British culture.
“Katara aims to be the ground soil for the fusion between eastern and western cultures, and our partnership with the British Embassy is, doubtless, the right step towards this goal. This performance is a testament of Katara’s commitment to educating and entertaining whilst building cultural bridges,” he concluded.
Neil Slade, General Manager AMMENA, Aston Martin said, “We are delighted to celebrate not only 50 years of James Bond but also the 100th anniversary of Aston Martin. It has been a great honour to collaborate with Katara, the Cultural Village and the British Embassy to bring to Doha this event which marks another milestone between the UK and Qatar.”
The hit film is the longest-running film franchise and the second-highest grossing film series behind Harry Potter, scoring over $12,360,000,000 worldwide.
The Peninsula
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