Set against the backdrop of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, it brings home the thin line between life and death, human behaviour and society, the link between intense suffering and intense love and the true meaning of family during a disaster like coronavirus pandemic
It was much more than a health crisis. It claimed the lives of thousands, spread human suffering, and upended people’s lives. It was a human, economic and social crisis. Covid-19, the pandemic attacked societies and families at their core!
Starting today (January 12), popular OTT platform Netflix will stream Omani series “Scattered Barriers” comprising six 35-minute episodes. The series is set in Oman but was shot on locations in Al Ain in the neighbouring United Arab Emirates.
Set against the backdrop of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, it brings home the thin line between life and death, human behaviour and society, the link between intense suffering and intense love and the true meaning of family during a disaster like coronavirus pandemic.
It is a story that sheds light on how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the lives of ordinary people, altering cultural norms and realities of everyday life, and ultimately affecting how people interact with one another.
Scattered Barriers is one of the most important Omani series of Netflix on its platform within three drama series produced by the Abu Dhabi TV channel network that bears the imprint of people with disabilities.
Written by the Omani writer Ahmed Al-Hajji, the series stars talent including celebrated Omani actors Ibrahim Al Zadjali, Amina Abdel Rasoul, Essam Al Zadjali, Balqis Al Balushi, and Raed Al Ameri, as well as Emirati actor Salama Al Mazrouei.
It is directed by Adbelbary Adulkhair, whose 2022 miniseries Dreams Drawn by Dust won him the Best TV Series award at the Los Angeles Film Awards and filmed by award-winning Australian cinematographer Susan Lumsdon. The production team included 28 people of determination from 11 countries.
“The work contains a lot of human feelings, positive messages and lessons that many people learned during that pandemic,” Al Zadjali, who plays Nasser, had told Observer earlier.
The series tells the story of Nasser, a taxi driver who refused to believe and accept the grave danger posed by the coronavirus until his mother died of the virus. Struggling with feelings of guilt and a reluctance to accept the new reality, Nasser eventually comes to understand the importance of family and society.
So he strives to improve his life in honor of his mother. In honour of his mother, he works to improve his life and come to terms with the changes brought about by the pandemic.
Regarding the work, Emirati producer Mansour Al-Yabhouni Al Dhaheri says, “We presented the idea of the work to honor the creators and celebrate the qualitative experiences of people with disabilities. Omani Ahmed Al-Hajji, who wrote the story from a pension reality, transformed it in a creative and coherent way into a dramatic work. We wanted all his staff to be responsible for its production”.
"Scattered Borders" has already worn international awards from international festivals, most notably the Barcelona Festival, which embodies the important role played by people with disabilities and their ability to achieve achievements and overcome all challenges in various fields.
The latest addition to Netflix’s regional production program, the series is part of Netflix’s content strategy for the Middle East, with other recent examples being “Dubai Bling” and even “The Cage”, a comedy-drama and the platform’s first Kuwaiti series.
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