"Kemet: Year One” Begins Production as First-Ever Cinematic Depiction of Prehistoric Egypt – A DEF & BUC Studios Co-Production

Cairo, Egypt – August 16, 2025 – Desert Eagle Films and BUC Studios are proud to officially announce the launch of principal production for “Kemet: Year One”, the inaugural feature under their five-year, ten-film co-production agreement — a landmark partnership that redefines the intersection of commercial filmmaking and academic collaboration in the Middle East and North Africa.

Set in 9186 BC, Kemet: Year One is the first theatrical-scale feature film to be shot entirely on Egyptian land that fully reconstructs the prehistoric world before dynastic Egypt. The film will be produced in Egyptian Arabic and distributed internationally. Filming begins in mid-September 2025, following an extensive on-site set build that has already begun.

A Historic Production by Design

Kemet: Year One is the first of ten films under the strategic alliance between Desert Eagle Films and BUC Studios — the commercial production arm of Badr University in Cairo. Unlike conventional studio–education models, this partnership entails full co-financing, co-production, and co-ownership of IP between both entities, and represents the first time a university has taken on such a direct and structural role in the production of commercial, theatrically distributed content.

This film will be shot on-location across Kom Ombo, Aswan, the Western Desert, and several newly scouted, remote natural areas across Upper Egypt. Many of these locations have never been documented on film before. The production includes the complete physical construction of a functioning tribal village set, using natural materials such as wood, stone, clay, and earth-based structures — designed to withstand the physicality of a high-impact shoot, but also built with archaeological reference in collaboration with university scholars.

“This isn’t just a film set. This is a ground-up historical build,” said Jeremie Green, Head of Production at Desert Eagle Films.“We’re not dressing up modern structures. We’re building a living, breathing world based on Egypt’s actual topography and using the terrain as it stands. Every hut, every path, every tool has to feel like it belongs in 9186 BC.”

The build began in early July and is expected to continue through mid-September. No green screen or fabricated stage work will be used. The entire environment is designed to be captured practically, leveraging the natural Egyptian light, earth, and textures.

Academic Precision Meets Production Execution

One of the defining features of this production is the academic–industry hybrid execution model, made possible through the infrastructure of BUC Studios. Professors, researchers, and students from BUC’s departments of archaeology, anthropology, architecture, costume design, and applied arts have been embedded into the production process. These teams are working in collaboration with the core creative leadership to ensure every element — from props and tribal identifiers to housing layouts and cultural aesthetics — reflects both the academic record and plausible reconstructions of early civilization.

“We are building from scratch — but not from fantasy,” said Mo Ismail, Director and Producer of the film, and Founder of Desert Eagle Films.“Our job is to build what could have been with the materials and tools of the time, rooted in local history, and do it at a global cinematic level. This isn’t romanticized Egypt. This is Egypt before it was a name — and that demands a different kind of responsibility.”

Visionary Leadership Across Disciplines

“Kemet: Year One” is directed and produced by Mo Ismail, with Jeremie Green serving as Head of Production. The production is designed by Meme Wahba, who leads a multidisciplinary art department focused on historically plausible world-building, while Najmeddin Scorpion has been appointed as Action Director, responsible for tribal combat, movement language, and primitive tactical choreography.

“Every object is being made by hand. Every wall is shaped by the same tools our ancestors might have used. This is not a fantasy set — it’s a historically grounded work of art, crafted in collaboration with academics and artisans alike,” said Meme Wahba, Production Designer.“The goal is to make the audience feel the dirt, the sun, the danger — to fully immerse them in a believable prehistoric Egypt.”

Scorpion, a regional legend in physical choreography and real-world fight systems, is developing a raw, brutal combat aesthetic to match the tribal world of Kemet.

“This is not martial arts or modern choreography,” said Najmeddin Scorpion, Action Director.“We’re inventing a new cinematic language of survival — how tribes might have fought for food, land, or survival 12,000 years ago. It’s going to be visceral, primal, and brutally honest.”

The project is staffed with a hybrid of regional and international talent, many of whom are undergoing specialized workshops in prehistoric survival, movement training, and natural combat.

International Distribution & Cultural Strategy

Desert Eagle Films has confirmed that Kemet: Year One has secured theatrical distribution across 100's of screens in the Middle East and the United Kingdom. Negotiations are currently underway to expand to North America, Europe, and Asia.

The film received unanimous approval from Egyptian authorities across all regulatory stages on first submission — a distinction rarely granted and one that underscores the film’s positioning as a cultural milestone.

“We’re not just producing a film — we’re reclaiming a part of our narrative that predates written history,” added Ismail.“We’re filming on our soil, in our own language, with our people — and it’s made for the world. That’s what makes this a legacy project.”

A New Era for Regional Cinema

Kemet: Year One is more than just a film — it is the launching pad for a new model of Arab filmmaking. One where private production houses and academic institutions co-create intellectual property at the highest levels of international craft, with full ownership and full creative control.

With BUC Studios now fully operational, and Desert Eagle Films leading the charge, the groundwork is set for a pipeline of features that rival global standards in scope and scale — rooted in the region’s history, culture, and landscapes.

The full cast will be announced in September 2025, in alignment with the global promotional campaign.