Egyptian filmmaker Hadi El-Bagoury discusses Netflix’s ‘Finding Ola’
Netflix is set to release its new Arabic original show “Al Bahth Aan Ola” (“Finding Ola”) on Feb. 3, starring Tunisian-Egyptian actress Hend Sabri.
Directed by Egyptian filmmaker Hadi El-Bagoury, the series is a new season of her 2010 comedy series “Ayza Atgawez” (“I Want to Get Married”).
In an interview, El-Bagoury said: “When I first heard about the project, I got very excited that Ola would be back for a show on Netflix, which was an even (better) reason to get hyped for working on ‘Finding Ola.’”
In the first series, Sabri played the role of Ola, a young pharmacist from a middle-class family who hopes to get married before she turns 30.
The trailer for this year’s Netflix show, released earlier this week, presents a closer look at Ola’s life after divorce.
“Finding Ola is indeed a continuation of Ola’s journey, but with a completely different storyline, format and even the characters, as we kept the ones that are relevant to Ola’s new journey and world,” explained the director. “Thus, we can safely say that the show is not a sequel of ‘Ayza Atgawez’.”
Creating the Netflix series did come with hardships, said El-Bagoury.
“The challenge in ‘Finding Ola’ was about finding a new way of directing the show, introducing the plot along with the new characters,” he explained. “We also wanted to create a completely different look and feel for the show through its cinematic approach that would truly capture the show’s authenticity.”
The filmmaker said the show took eight to 10 months of work in the pre-production phase, and took around six months to produce.
“Fans should expect a different show, especially in terms of the genre and cinematic approach,” teased El-Bagoury.
Fans took to Instagram earlier this week to share the trailer of the show.
“It’s a comfort show that takes me back to simpler times. I’m excited to see how the characters evolved throughout the years,” said a UAE-based fan Nouran Nada.
Another supporter, Logeen Adbelaal from Egypt, said: “This is one of my favorite sitcoms. I’m so excited to see how life turned out for Ola. She really represented the struggles women face in our society in a light and relatable comedy form. I hope this season turns out to be as good as the first one.”
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