JEDDAH: Disney will release an Arabic edition of its latest animated musical fantasy film “Moana” that will feature dialogues in the Egyptian dialect.
Arab pop singer Carmen Soliman will sing songs for princess Moana in the movie while Luma Sabri will voice the character’s dialogues. Actor Abdullah Saad will dub for the legendary character Maui.
Soliman won the first season of Arab Idol in 2012, winning a recording contract with Platinum Records. After grueling rounds of televised eliminations, and critical evaluations by celebrity judges Ragheb Alameh, Nancy Ajram, Ahlam and Egyptian music producer Hassan El Chefai, Soliman prevailed against all other contestants to become the first winner.
Her first single, “Kalam Kalam” was released on March 4, 2013 jumping to No. 1 on the Egyptian charts, and her first album was released in January 2014. Soliman followed with numerous hit singles, including “Akhbari” and “Azama Ala Azama.”
Disney’s move is the first response to Egyptian actor Mohammad Hunaidi’s recently launched campaign “Disney in Egyptian.”
Disney recently announced that Aladdin, a Middle Eastern folk tale film will be turned into a live-action feature film with a full Middle Eastern cast.
The 1992 film was set in the fictional Arabian sultanate of Agrabah, loosely based on Baghdad, Iraq.
Carmen Soliman to sing for Disney’s princess Moana
Carmen Soliman to sing for Disney’s princess Moana
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
