Desert Eagle Films Officially Begins Filming “Kemet: Year One,” a Cinematic Epic 12,000 Years in the Making

ASWAN, EGYPT — November 2025 — Against the sweeping sands of Upper Egypt, a new cinematic giant has begun to rise. Desert Eagle Films and BUC Studios have officially commenced principal photography on KEMET: YEAR ONE, a groundbreaking epic set more than 12,000 years in the past — long before written history, kingdoms, or recorded civilization.

The film marks the first production under the historic 10-film co-production alliance between Desert Eagle Films (DEF) and BUC Studios, establishing a new era in Egyptian and Middle Eastern filmmaking where independent industry power and academic innovation operate as one machine.

Rebuilding a Lost World — From the Ground That First Shaped It

KEMET: YEAR ONE explores the earliest roots of human society: tribes banding together, the birth of leadership, the first sparks of unity, and the primal conflicts that shaped the first communities on Earth.

Shot across Aswan’s deserts, valleys, and river banks, the film uses large-scale practical sets, handcrafted structures, and distinctly Egyptian prehistoric material cultures to resurrect a world that predates pharaohs by millennia.

The production has erected three full prehistoric villages, tribal camps, animal enclosures, ceremonial grounds, and battle fields — built with raw timber, stone, palm fibers, and region-specific materials to achieve unprecedented authenticity.

A High-Caliber Team of Visionaries

At the helm is Mo Ismail, Egyptian-American actor, producer, and founder of Desert Eagle Films, leading a team engineered for world-class execution:

• Ahmed Lebleb — Director of Photography

  
  

  A master visualist bringing a visceral, muscular, natural-light aesthetic to the ancient world.

• Govind Vishnu — Creative Director

  
  

  Architect of the film’s visual identity and cinematic language.

• Deepu R — Creative Director & Performance Lead

  
  

  Shaping emotional tone, tribal behavior, physical storytelling, and cultural detailing.

• Pankaj V — VFX Supervisor

  
  

  Guiding all environmental and creature effects, ensuring seamless realism across a film of massive prehistoric scale.

Together, they form a unified creative command—merging practical filmmaking with cutting-edge VFX, performance anthropology, and photographic innovation.

A Cast That Represents the Real Egypt

The film features a powerful blend of elite actors and first-time performers discovered through extensive casting across Aswan, Luxor, Cairo, and remote villages of Upper Egypt.

Dozens of new faces — Nubian, Sa’idi, Bedouin, coastal, desert, and more — bring authenticity and cultural richness rarely seen in Egyptian cinema.

These performers represent:

• Egypt’s true colors

• Egypt’s true diversity

• Egypt’s true identity

Every frame of the film is rooted in faces, dialects, textures, and energies drawn directly from the country’s living heritage.

Desert Eagle Films Statement

“KEMET: YEAR ONE is not just a movie — it’s the reclaiming of our origin story. For the first time, we are bringing the birth of humanity to the screen through Egyptian eyes, on Egyptian land, with the people of Egypt at the front of the narrative.”

— Mo Ismail, Founder, Desert Eagle Films

BUC Studios Statement

“This partnership is a turning point for the future of Arab cinema. Through our collaboration with Desert Eagle Films, we are building a generation of young Egyptian filmmakers who learn by working at the highest professional level.”

— Sarah El Kalla - CEO

A Defining Moment for Egyptian Cinema

With production now underway, KEMET: YEAR ONE stands as a bold declaration:

Egypt is not only the birthplace of civilization — it is emerging as one of the world’s most ambitious cinematic landscapes.

The DEF × BUC Studios alliance aims to:

• Develop a new pipeline between education and industry

• Build long-term production infrastructure

• Establish Egypt as a global filmmaking hub

• Produce 10 major films over five years

• Empower emerging Egyptian talent across every department

KEMET: YEAR ONE is the first step in a much larger vision.

As Cameras Roll, a New Era Begins

The deserts of Aswan are now alive with movement — hundreds of cast members, artisans, sound engineers, stunt performers, tribal movement coaches, editors, photographers, dozens of BUC students, and an international crew operating as one.

This film is not simply being shot.

It is being forged, carved, and rebuilt from the clay of the past.

This is only the beginning.