Lights, Camera, Rehabilitation: Ex-Nusra Leader Goes to Hollywood—in Damascus
In a plot twist worthy of its own feature film, Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa—better known to many by his former name, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani—is taking a star turn as the unlikely patron of the country’s first mega media and film-production complex. Once infamous for leading the jihadist armed group Jabhat al-Nusra, Jolani now stands center stage, suited up and flanked by directors and government officials, pitching a $1.5 billion project called Damascus Gate. Reporter Rizik Alabi brings us this real-life drama, where soft power, image rehab, and Gulf cash all share the spotlight.
The initiative, backed by Qatari firm al-Maha International, promises to create thousands of jobs and launch dozens of productions on soundstages built to rival any in the region. But the reviews are mixed. Screenwriter Rana Mar’i calls it “a real cultural reversal,” pointing out that Jolani once banned TV and music and punished those who watched them. “Now he’s opening a film city?” she asks. “That’s a rewrite nobody saw coming.”
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Cultural critics, producers, and scholars interviewed by Alabi question whether this new script allows for artistic freedom or just well-lit propaganda. With censorship, unclear funding, and a history of erasing inconvenient narratives, many wonder if the curtain is really rising on a new era or if we’re just watching a polished remake of an old regime.
Still, Jolani’s character arc from warlord to media mogul is pure cinematic material. Whether Damascus Gate becomes a box office smash for Syria’s cultural revival—or flops under political pressure—depends on whether the director-in-chief is ready to let the cameras roll … and let the storytellers speak.
Catch Rizik Alabi’s full feature at The Media Line—it’s a story you don’t want to miss.
