David Darg To Direct ‘The Desert Beyond’ About Arab World’s First Female Astronaut
Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker David Darg (Body Team Twelve, You Cannot Kill David Arquette) has signed to direct Emirati female-led drama The Desert Beyond about a young woman with ambitions to become the Arab world’s astronaut.
The story is inspired by the real-life story of Nora Al Matrooshi, who became the first Emirati and Arab woman to qualify as an astronaut on the UAE Space Agency’s training program in 2024.
The drama revolves around Maryam, a young Emirati engineer competing for the nation’s first female astronaut mission. As she goes through a rigorous selection process, she confronts national expectations, inner doubt, and her family’s legacy, discovering that her future success may lie in the wisdom of the past.
The drama will film in Dubai and across the UAE and is supported by the Dubai Films and Games Commission.
The film is executive produced by Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak (Seize the Summit), founder of Naiy Production House, an Emirati company focused on socially driven storytelling.
Carla DiBello, who previously worked with Darg on Maskoon with other credits including Electric Kingdom, produces under the banner of Arabia Plus, her UAE-based production company set up to tell regional stories for an international market.
She is joined by award-winning producer Stephen Strachan (Scales, How I Got There) under his company Globa 3.
“This film celebrates transformation—personal, national, and generational. It’s about honouring our heritage as we take bold steps toward the future.” said Al Mubarak.
DiBello added: “We’re bringing a female-driven story from the Arab world to a global audience—one that shows women not only breaking barriers, but defining what leadership and growth look like in the Middle East today.”
The Desert Beyond will begin casting shortly. Capstone Pictures is handling worldwide sales, while Front Row Filmed Entertainment will oversee distribution across the Middle East and North Africa.
A theatrical release is planned, followed by international streaming distribution.
Established in 2014, the UAE Space Agency, to date, has also launched the Emirates Mars Mission and sent astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansoori to the International Space Station.
“The Dubai Films and Games Commission’s support for the project reflects our mission to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for media innovation,” said Nehal Badri, Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council.
“It also aligns with our efforts to foster international collaboration, nurture industry talent, and showcase Dubai’s growing capabilities as a world-class ecosystem for media and film production,” she added.
