Dubai - Women Abuse In The Middle East (TVC)

1 March 2008, Dubai -- Sharla Musaibih is a pioneer. She responded to the plight of Middle Eastern homeless and violated women at a time when no one else was. She realized that abused women had no-one to turn to and nowhere to go. Sharla managed to rent a villa, rustle up some funds from a couple of garage sales and establish what was then to become one of the few if not only women's shelters in the UAE. The City or better known as the villa has become a place of respite for those abused, violated and abandoned. It is 7 years later since Sharla's City of Hope first opened its doors to the needy. And since then literally hundreds of victims of trafficking and abusive relationships have passed through benefiting from the shelter's security but also receiving support and counsel given to them within these walls. Freelance director Sofia De Fay met Sharla and was instantly touched by her efforts and the importance of her work and felt the need to raise awareness for her cause. Sofia brought freelance producer Reim El Houni on board and together they began the journey to create a corporate and social responsibility TV commercial that would help shed some light on the City of Hope and Sharla's great work. Plans for this TVC have been in the pipeline since October last year and finally came together over a ten day period in February 2008. With a generous donation from established property developer Credo Investments, the team was armed and ready to press ahead. With the support of Filmquip Media who donated over 35,000 AED of equipment, Kodak Cinelabs Dubai who supported the cause by donating film stock and lab services, the editing skills and facilities of Déjà vu, audio and sound design from Creative Kingdom and many other generous acts from companies and freelancers within the industry including Pro Action Media, Scorpion Productions, M3D Production, art director Giovanni Ravagnani, make up artist Donatella Novelo and hair stylist Nikki Cox, the production finally came together. The TVC follows a concept created by Sofia De Fay which tries to make viewers understand how it feels to be a victim. The commercial is abstract and does not show or display women being beaten or hurt, rather it is thought provoking and suggests violence, alienation and destruction in the imagery. The aim is to have the TVC flighted over the month of March which is dedicated to the awareness of empowering women starting with International Womens' day on the 8th March.