- As Madonna’s 2003 hit single lyrically asserts, everybody comes to Hollywood — to make it in the neighborhood.
- But unfortunately for many, the fantasy of becoming a star is often replaced with the reality of waitressing during the day and attending parties in Sunset Hills at night in the hope that your profuse name-dropping will trick a producer into inviting you to send him your script/demo/actor portfolio.
However, for the young Saudi cinephile, Mohammed Al Turki, his strong presence and natural talent has Hollywood name-dropping his name!
Only two years in the industry, the 25-year-old is quickly emerging as one of Hollywood’s young talents to look out for. A tour de force of talent and charisma, the young man is charming his way through the Hollywood scene, making friends with A-list actors and personalities, such as (name-drop here).
But it’s not Al Turki’s ability to keep up with Paris Hilton and Michelle Rodriguez at after-hour parties that has people impressed; they actually love his work. The first film he produced, Zeina Durra’s "The Imperialists Are Still Alive!" (2010) starring French actress, Élodie Bouchez, was ''Official Selection'' at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film went on to win "Best First Feature" at both the Warsaw Film Festival and the Asian American Film Festival.
“The film was controversial and timely,” revealed Al Turki, over a phone interview. “It’s a post-9/11 film that presents an Arab character in a way that wouldn’t be expected,” he said, referring to the protagonist, Asya, a visual artist of Jordanian, Lebanese and Palestinian descent. “She speaks French and appears more European. Even her profession — a conceptual artist — and her hip lifestyle depict her as a normal Manhattanite. Only as an Arab, she’s still paranoid in this post-9/11 time.”
It is in that facet, that the film shows its depth and relevance by providing this unique look on how the War on Terror has been able to penetrate the present fabric of everyday life in America. The break from the usual conservative paradigm of narratives dealing with themes of cultural fusion is further accentuated with retro visual aesthetic created by the 16 mm film, making it reminiscent of the French New Wave.
The film got rave reviews and generated a ton of buzz in Hollywood, adding fuel to Al Turki’s fire. “That film really opened a lot of doors for me,” admitted the young producer. “It sent a message,” he concluded, referring to the distinctive narrative.
In his next endeavor, Tim Burke’s “The Harrowing,” (2011) Al Turki left the comfortable behind-the-camera seat of producer and went in front of the camera to surprise people with his acting capabilities. The film, a reality-based horror story based on a group of young people trapped in a haunted mental asylum, with CCTV cameras filming the cast's every move, is due for release after this summer.
Al Turki’s recent projects reveal to what extent this young talent has managed to garner some real Hollywood pull. Currently on the set of Nicholas Jarecki’s "Arbitrage," Al Turki is credited as executive producer with an all-star cast of Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, as well as, Sundance sensation, Brit Marling, and French favorite, Laetitia Casta. He’s also involved in the documentary “Metamorphosis,” which shines light on the neglected subject of teenage suicide in the US. The documentary is narrated by James Franco and directed by Lacey Dorn.
Yet, it is his latest project, the Ramin Bahrani film, that seems to be garnering the most buzz. Announced at this year's Cannes Film Festival, the Ramin Bahrani project stars Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron, whom many predict will solidify his place in Hollywood as a seriously talented actor.
But, it’s not all about celebrity status and entrepreneurship for Al Turki; he’s also an avid philanthropist, supporting various charities. The charitable side of Al Turki is an intrinsic trait inherited, no doubt, from his father, Abdulaziz Al Turki, the founder and president of the Saudi Cancer Foundation and chairman of the Saudi Charitable Foundation for Promoting Organ Donation. In addition to supporting his father’s charities back home, Al Turki is breaking cultural barriers between East and West through his ardent work with various charities in the US, such as the Elton John Aids Foundation, the Steve Irwin Sea Shepard, amFAR AIDS Research, Cinema for Peace and many more.
Whether Al Turki is at a party listening to other people name-drop his name, or at a charity gala supporting his latest cause, one thing is certain: this is only the beginning for him.
