NAVODAYA STUDIO
In English, Arabic & Farsi languages
Golchin, the Merchant
A Biographical Film on
THE FATHER OF
THE ARABIAN GULF CINEMA.
Golchin caused the citizens of the Arabian Gulf
and the Immigrants come to those sandy shores, to dream.
The Story of Ahmad Golchin
is the story of Dubai’s growth from a medieval creek to a modern megalopolis.
To Dream Big!
Yes, Golchin made everybody in the Emirates ... Dream!!
His dreams reflected the vision of its rulers
… and vice versa …
This, he did it with Cinema.
This is intended as a Motivational Biography for a Global Audience.
The Story of Ahmad Golchin is not only a personal journey,
but also the saga and glory of a region today
the world knows as United Arab Emirates.
Many such immigrants participated in evolving the glory of Dubai from a seaside village creek to the heights of the world’s fastest growing urban space.
An immigrant traverses geographical boundaries in spite of identity crises, personal travails, economic hurdles, social conflicts and political uncertainties.
The genius of Ahmad Golchin is in his interminable commitment and passion for weaving Dubai with the most happening places in world cinema.
Gochin’s incredible journey - from an indigent in remote urban Iran to the peaks of UAE’s elite, spans from Hollywood to Cannes to Bollywood - the happening places of Cinema in the World.
The Three Revolutions of Iran – 1953, ’63 & ’79, The Cannes Film Festivals – 1960s to 2010s, The Sociocultural changes occurred in the Middle-East during the previous half century … all these are research areas covered in the Story of Golchin and the Story of Dubai.
A Historical instance in the Golchin Narrative
It happened during the Lebanese Civil War.
In the last week of June 1976, when the Fluid Drive Evacuation of foreign citizens was taking place, Golchin landed in Beirut to collect a film print sent for subtitling. Venturing into the war zone, he managed to get out not only the print, but also the husband and wife team who in the ensuing years did all subtitling for Golchin in Dubai.
In the 80s & 90s, Golchin widened film viewership in the UAE with English & Vernacular (Malayalam, Hindi) films.
But, it was Golchin's idea of a Spectacular Red Carpet Release of film TITANIC (1997) that made Hollywood & Bollywood come seeking the greatest emerging market for global cinema.
With a Hollywood film's greatest ever global release, Golchin showed that UAE film business can be phenomenal!
Golchin then did a 'Harvey Weinstein', and made virtually unknown films reach Hollywood ... and the OSCARS !!
The case with Korean film Parasite (2019) - an unknown entry which Golchin picked up. By purchasing the distribution rights and funding a film that went on to win the Academy Award.
Says Golchin. “Sometimes, when you see a movie that has an incredibly compelling story, you can’t help but root for it... it needs to be given a space to shine. That is the magic of cinema”.
So, Golchin’s rooting for a movie, is it Intutive?
Oh, No. It is Emotional !!
The case with Mother India (1957) – the first of the Hindi films Golchin rooted to popularize among the expatriates in UAE.
From a childhood experience, Golchin identified the motherly sentiments therein.
In conservative Iran, his mother was sent away by his father for a sacrilegious act of taking a photo (shown here >>) sans a head cover with her two sons.
A 7 year old Golchin left home with his younger brother to travel 850 miles south in search of her.
The case with Slumdog Millionaire (2008), again an underdog.
Golchin saw himself, covered with excreta, in the Danny Boyle film.
At the age of 5, to win a kite flying wager for making a living, like the Slumdog hero Golchin fell from rooftop into a pit of human excreta.
In the mishap, he lost sight in his left eye.
“I remember when I saw Slumdog for the first time; it was like a diamond in the rough… No one cared for it in the beginning, it had no big star cast; But, I knew it was going to be a smash hit”. Says Golchin “I wasn’t wrong. I decided to have all the films removed from my cinemas and decided to only showcase ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. ”
Hence, all flashbacks in the Golchin biopic are throwbacks from films he acquire.
The beginning of the 1960s was a turning point in Iran's political era. Following Pahlavi Shah’s White Revolution there came a period of liberalism.
In Tehran, even without knowing English language, a 16 year old boy with the help of some young translators had western novels translated into Farsi.
Thus, to make a living, he became a publisher.
He relied on his natural ability to read people's hearts and started publishing books with captivating covers and titles.
He collected suitable pictures for book covers, did cut-and-paste with scissors & gum and presented them in attractive packaging.
That boy was Golchin
“I published 140 books during that time” says Golchin.
For an unschooled Tehran boy in the 1950s, it was by the reading of the variety of books he published, Golchin’s knowledge on every topic under humanities came to surpass that of most amongst us today.
During the English to Farsi novel publishing days, Golchin carried dictionary and translation booklets with which he self-taught. He would sometimes tear off pages to read and memorise while inside the toilet.
But when Golchin published a French novel about the war in Vietnam, he ran into trouble with the SAVAK (Shah's dreaded secret police).
“I had to flee the country. With little money in hand, I left Iran and got on a launch (boat) to come to the UAE,” says Golchin.
His flair in designing book covers, Golchin would later put to use during movie distribution days, on all film poster layouts.
The second chapter of Golchin's life started in Dubai.
His motive and resolve never wavered.
Golchin realized that Dubai was lacking entertainment - CINEMA!
He started with the Mexican film - ‘Fight to Death’ dubbed in Persian.
Being an immigrant himself, Golchin was always sympathetic towards the nostalgia and home dreams of the migrant workers to the Emirates.
“When I landed in Dubai in 1964, only one cinema was there in Al Nasser Square. It would cost Rs/- 2 to get a ticket, with films playing only at night-time.” Says Golchin.
A plot of land with four muddy walls formed the ‘cinema’ that Dubai boasted at the time.
The open-air theater had wooden planks to settle down in, while many others sat down on the sand.
“There was a small hole in the wall that served as the box office to sell tickets,” recalls Golchin.
It wouldn’t be amiss to find camels and donkeys tied outside, with the animals serving as the only mode of transportation for many who would come from far and wide to indulge in the magic of cinema. GULF NEWS
“The bell would ring five minutes before the film would start, signaling the passers-by to come inside”.
"Persian and Hindi films were popular here during those days". Says Golchin “Emotions would run high watching those films. Sometimes tears would flow, sometimes anger.
PHARS Film Godown
In Deira once stood this 6000 sq ft shed in the summer heat.
Within - at 30 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 percent relative humidity - were groomed Golchin’s children – filmprints from all around the world.
These were bought at filmfest markets. Acquired distribution rights for the Gulf Territories. Meant to be screened all over the Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha, Oman … even Iran, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. Hence they were meticulously maintained. The standards surpassed the very best of the World Film Archives. Because, Golchin took care of them with love. Prints sometimes numbered up to 5500.
Golchin had devised and evolved an indexing system not dissimilar to that of a Lending Library. There was a category-wise cataloguing of films, and ‘index cards’ represented every print. An ‘index card’ was moved from one territorial drawer to another … and then back to the home godown drawer , as the print was routed around for screening.
Dubai, 1980s
Sherazee’s film pickup truck
PHARS Godown
Late 60s. Retrieving a purloined film print from the outskirts, Golchin was at the police station in Abu Dhabi to lodge a complaint.
But he found himself apprehended for a much graver crime! Golchin was handcuffed to the film box!
One knowledgeable among the constables identified the evidence exhibit as Thompson submachine gun magazines of WWI era ... and hence deemed it a dangerous contraband. It took the Limey (British) Police Chief to recognize it as cinema film ... harmful only at times.
Of Tommy Guns & Film Cans.
Women-exclusive Cinema
Since women were then forbidden in public places, Golchin suggested the Cultural Minister’s family come for an exclusive screening of the celebrated The Sound of Music (1965).
To Golchin’s dismay, a male member was found peeping into the ‘women’s exclusive auditorium’ !!
Since he couldn’t employ a lady-projectionist, Golchin then had to devise a covered box within the cinema hall from where lady patrons could peep at the silver screen. Though nobody realised it then, it was the starting of a new era.
TWO TISSUES FREE with every ticket
His one memorable marketing ploy was Golchin’s offer of two free tissue papers for the film Romeo & Juliet (1968).
The idea struck him on noticing glistening cheeks in the cinema hall darkness.
Instead, he says, such were the times when toilet papers ought to have been supplied to balcony patrons who were oblivious to the purpose of a Rest Room.
In the mid-60s, while putting up posters around a labour camp, he was invited to join for Ifthar (fast-breaking) by a group of 7 Indian friends squatting on the streetside.
While eating Biriyani with them, Golchin enquired about their movie preferences.
Shaking their heads they told they can’t afford … yet, once in a month they together pooled for the cost of one ticket … and draw lot as to who gets to see the film that month!
One of them lamented.
“Oh, if only I could get to see a Hindi film”
Golchin hence took a dhow to Bombay (erstwhile Mumbai) to see Bollywood for the first time.
He bought the print of a film – his first Hindi film - Mother India (made in 1957) back with him.
In the fall of 1984, one fine morning Golchin heard that the 3D film in Malayalam language is being released in the state of Kerala (God’s Own Country), India.
Immediately from Dubai he took a flight to Kerala.
Golchin found himself in the town of Kochi before Appachan of Navodaya Studios who had produced My Dear Kuttichathan, the said 3D film.
“Sir, give me your 3D Film … I am screening it tomorrow in all of UAE”.
Appachan told that a 3D release needs much prep.
Golchin “Meaning?”
Appachan “Meaning, first my 3D Installation Crews acquire on-the-job-training in cinemas here. Then 3D lenses, Silverscreens, Poloriser glasses for audience. Before that, your cinema hall dimensions, projector specs and …”
Golchin “Wonderful! …”
Appachan “Wonderful? … Why wonderful?”
Golchin “I just realized this film can be seen only in a cinema hall. F**k them video pirates!”
Appachan had found a man after his own heart!
Golchin personally carried the film-print for special 3D sub-titling, joined the crew in putting up the silverscreens - first at his prestigious Galleria Cinema, then all over the Arabian Gulf. He installed 3D lenses at every Cinema, handed out and collected back 3D glasses to the audience.
Thanks to Golchin, the small film My Dear Kuttichathan - a children's feature, became successful and widely known.
Note - Golchin having lost sight in one of his eyes, cannot perceive in 3D! (a distinction he shares with Andre de Toth, director of the famous film House of Wax 3D).
Golchin was back in Dubai even before the film-agents came to know of the arrangement. They had been waiting to see the feasibility of 3D screenings in Kerala before broaching the idea to Golchin.
3D Film released at Galadari Galleria Cinema. 1984
Putting up a billboard of his own design, Golchin commemorated the vanquishing of the much awaited Harry Potter denied to him by Warner Bros.
With a ‘saturated screening’ in every cinema available to him in the UAE, the indomitable Dream Merchant released a till-then withheld King Kong in opposition and vamoosed the ‘broom rider’ off the Gulf Territory.
“1975. We had no way to advertise our films so we would have a man wear a plywood around his neck — the front board would state film timings of the day, the board behind advertised the next day” reminiscences Golchin.
Golchin remains updated about what is happening every day in world cinema.
Some of the vernacular film productions in the migrant workers’ own native language, Golchin knows better than the film personnel of those home states!
This, by obtaining every week Film Industry Journal and Movie Magazine from all over and gleaning every detail possible. He would know the production status and value spent on every film he plans to acquire.
The magazines which he can’t read? He has staff to read and explain to him.
Golchin's return flight from Cannes to Dubai was via Rome.
At Ciampino Airport, he noticed a banner
MUSEU BELAS ARTES.
Under six hours in the basement, Golchin got in his hands on what he thought would add value and respectability to the five S**t movies. No sooner back home, with scissors and gum on those pictures, he designed new posters.
Having better understanding of the audience than the maker, Golchin also re-named them.
One Hit Movie + Five S**t Movies
From book-covers to film-posters design
In no time was at the front desk of the renowned Art Archives of Rome. In sputtering English, Golchin explained his need. L'inserviente answered
“Yes sire, we have thousands such here. You give me the artwork titles; I go get it from the basement archives”
Golchin
“Unless I see them pictures, I cannot select.”
The sympathetic attendant informed Golchin that the rule prohibits an outsider into the basement chambers. But then Golchin knew that some rules could be broken with greenbacks.
Golchin continued the re-designing of film posters as he judged relevant to the audience – for every obscure film.
Golchin, who in the last 50 years had attended most International film festivals, espouses one of his deal-clinching methods.
”At the first filmmarket I attended, there was a filmmaker who had in his hands one Hit movie (sought-after film) and also five S**t movies (duds)".
Distributors were reluctant to buy from him the five S**t movies for the sake of one Hit movie. But the S**t movies were his own films, while the single Hit movie he had acquired from a friend.
"I offered to buy all six. The man was gratified.
I was paying a lesser price than what others had offered him. Having bought them, I had to concentrate more in promoting and marketing the five.
This always happens. Every Hit movie comes along with five S**t movies. I have to work hard on the five S**T movies. The one Hit, I need not bother”.
Golchin wore an Arab Thawb to his first Cannes.
Observing strange glances, he told where he is from.
“Dubai? …. Dubai what? To buy what?” was the response.
In 1988, an Abu Dhabi royalty - Rahim Salimia (not his real name) started investing in Cinemas. Procuring around 25 screens in Dubai alone, he started buying up distribution rights of films at higher prices than Golchin.
True to his nature, Golchin fought back … renting more screens and beating the new rival on prices. As competition heated up, prices rocketed and investment drain would have ensured someone go bust very soon. Golchin knew it wouldn’t be him … for he had played the game many times before, and trounced all Ali-come-lately.
But one day morning, the absurdity of it struck him.
On an impulse, Golchin drove to one of the cinemas the senior Salimia was administrating. The man, surprised to meet the rival for the first time, yet offered the traditional desert hospitality.
Over cups of sulaimani tea, Golchin explained to him the economics of the situation and convinced him it was a ‘nobody wins’ situation. The senior Salimia called down his son Rahim to introduce Golchin, who in the next hour worked out a ‘turf apportioning deal’ between them. The once rivals signed papers and shook hands!
“Blessed are the Peacemakers …”
(A quote from The Sermon on the Mount).
Opening of Golchin's Star Cinemas (12 Screens) in Al Ghurair Centre, Dubai.
cannes 1991
tiff 2017
cannes 1957
mfed 1976
Languages.
English, Arabic & Farsi.
An International Film Project - a first from the Middle-East.
Formats
[ A ] Betamax Sony (for portions demanding Video Resolution)
[ B ] 16mm, 35mm, 35mm Anamorphic - Original film stocks.
[ C ] Arri 35mm & 65mm, Imax 1.90 - Digital Cinematography.
This is to make the visuals 100 percent true.
This shall also evoke nostalgia with the transition of formats and color rendition of cinematographic images through the last 60 years.
Cinema on Cinema
This is a ‘Cinema on Cinema’. The subject is of interest to all filmmakers, craftsmen & technicians …
and hence, can be deemed an Oscar Contender.
Glitterati Red Carpets
cannes 2023
cannes 1987
Emotions
Golchin’s childhood and teenage are emotional sagas.
These (as surprises), the audience come across when Golchin remembers (in flashbacks) while watching films for acquisition. Such instances occur in films Oliver, Immigrant, Mother India, Slumdog, etc. Golchin’s formative years were ones with a desperate zest to survive. In today’s world of refugees, most viewers must identify with the character of Golchin in this film.
Culture Shock
This is something everybody would laugh at … even when caught at the receiving end. Golchin’s stories are replete with them. (refer storyboard illustrations). One of them is of Golchin getting apprehended with trunk filled with Thompson sub-machine gun ammunition magazines .. sorry, … mere film cans.
Women into the Cinemas
Another culture shock is Golchin’s pioneering attempt to bring women into cinema-halls.
[The fact that Dubai is the first places in the Middle-East to bring modernity for women, is amply showcased by this Golchin anecdote.]
Dubai is multicultural. Ample scope for real-life humor.
slumdog. 2008
Golchin, mother & brother 1948
Children of Heaven 1997
Alan Kurdi, Syrian child.
Immigrants (1917), a favorite of Golchin.
There would be re-creations of Past Film Festivals - Cannes, Venice, Toronto, etc. The glamarous lineups at these venues - intended to be portrayed as Golchin’s acquisition grounds, are instances to evoke film-nostalgia for the Millennial, and bestow celebrity-watch for the Gen-Z.
Bangs for the Bucks (ACTION)
Territories for theatrical exploitation are Golchin’s battle grounds.
Even films sans copyright, Golchin still had to protect his prints from being ‘bicycled’ (meaning, the illicit routing of a print - a film-distributor parlance).
In this biographical film, such instances are covert action & chase sequences scripted to provide the audience unique real-life thrill.
More of such thrilling stuff (noted in the research section) at Beirut where to get a film print subtitled, Golchin ventures into the war zone.
Cinema's Graven Images
One day in mid 1970s, Golchin was informed that one of the films for which he held UAE distribution rights, is being screened in the town of Al-Buraimi in Oman. The print, claimed to have Omani rights, was ‘bicycled’ cross the border from town Al-Ain in UAE.
Reaching there, Golchin had the local Police Inspector grab the culprit along with the print and taken to the court – a medieval fort, where the judge was a Muslim Imam. When told what the stolen goods is, the pious man became exasperated and shouted that all three - the Omani culprit, Golchin the plaintiff together with the Inspector - be thrown in jail for handling graven images.
Fight Video with Video - A Golchin Acumen
The much anticipated hit Hindi Film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was about to be released in the Arabian Gulf Territories during the summer of 1988. The pirates were waiting to make a kill – illegally copy and distribute through the Video Parlors - as soon as the prints reached them. And, Lo! The cassettes were available in the black markets of Dubai on the very day of the release !!
But alas, it turned out to be very inferior quality VHS cassettes that people got to view … with foggy visuals and portions missing. As the word got around, people gave up seeking cassettes and went straight to the cinemas. The pirates even today don’t know that it was Golchin who helpfully provided them with the initial hundreds that hit the video market !!
Golchin frowned when Americans started watching TV movies.
He fretted when Japanese introduced the Video Cassettes. He fumed when people started watching films on VCRs. Golchin blew up when they watched pirated films and didn't come for cinemas.
For Golchin, movies are meant only as ‘big screen entertainment’.
The Crossing 2015
