Production is under way at Abu Dhabi media hub twofour54 on Catsaway, an animated feature-length film by Emirati director Fadel Saeed AlMuhairi.

Catsaway is being produced by Tent Pictures Productions, in cooperation with Juice Studios in Poland. After more than a year of pre-production work, the frames of the hand-drawn movie are now being put together under the creative eye of AlMuhairi, who also helmed Abood Kandaishan, which was nominated for 2014’s Muhr Emirati Award at Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

Catsaway, which is the director’s first animated film, is about a group of cats trying to make a home in Abu Dhabi as the city evolves around them, features traditional hand-drawn animation rather than computer generated images.

Tent Pictures was founded by Fadel Saeed AlMuhairi, and partners Mohamad M. Numan, and Mohamad Jawad at twofour54 in 2013. It has already made several productions, with Catsaway being its latest project.

Commenting on the production, H.E. Maryam Eid AlMheiri, CEO of Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi and twofour54, said: “Tent Pictures is yet another success story for twofour54. And we are particularly delighted to see a homegrown firm such as Tent Pictures producing this feature-length animated film.”

Elaborating on the project, Fadel Saeed AlMuhairi said: “As an Emirati filmmaker, I am proud that the UAE is supporting this growth industry. Featuring traditional hand-drawn animation, Catsaway is going to be the perfect nostalgia-trip for adults, as well as being entertaining and educational for youngsters.”

Tent Pictures expects to have the first teaser trailer of the movie ready by April and will be seeking theatrical distribution when the full film is finished.