Christmas is a favourite time of year for Christian Stocklov, an executive producer at the German production company Polyphon. In charge of two of Germany’s longest-running television programmes, The Dreamboat and its spin-off series Cruise Into Happiness, Stocklov relies on the long winter months at home for peak ratings.
“It’s all about bringing dreams into people’s living rooms,” he says. “When it’s raining, snowing and dark by 4pm in Germany, we show viewers palm trees, turquoise waters, white beaches and luxurious hotels.” The cinematic destination he describes is Dubai, where last month he filmed a 90-minute episode of Cruise Into Happiness with a 57-strong crew. The programme – now in its ninth year – will be shown as a double feature, on December 26 and January 1, alongside Dreamboat, which has run for more than three decades.
“Every episode of Cruise Into Happiness features two newly married couples and a pair of wedding planners. This episode has one couple who rushed into marriage after three months and then found out they had little in common,” says Stocklov in between takes at Jumeirah’s Al Qasr hotel. “We also change the location every programme, from Europe to Papua New Guinea to Namibia and Egypt.”
Which might have explained why the cast appeared unfazed by the 38-degree heat as they repeated scene after scene on an exposed terrace of the beachfront resort. All was not as it seemed, however, revealed Stocklov.
“We have some little tricks to prevent too much perspiration,” he says. “One is to put an ice-cooled piece of leather cloth against the actors’ necks before we shoot.”
Stars align
One thespian seemingly not in line for the freeze treatment was the 36-year-old German TV presenter and actor Jochen Schropp.
“I’ve heard about the leather, but it’s not on my back,” he says. “The heat is a problem because of the layers; we’re not just wearing shirts, we have undergarments, too, otherwise we’d sweat through.”
When the mercury rose too high, Schropp chilled out with his on-screen wife and real-life best friend, fellow actress Birthe Wolter.
“Dubai is amazing – I love malls, so it’s perfect for me,” said the 32-year-old Wolter. “I don’t have any money left now because I’ve been shopping every day.”
As for buddying-up with Schropp to practise lines for their scenes together, there was almost no point, chuckled Wolter.
“It’s really easy, it’s not Shakespeare. We’re normally given the dialogue the evening before the shooting day and that’s enough time to learn it.”
Local support
After nearly a month of filming, the shoot wrapped on April 20, but not before a long list of landmarks had been secured on tape. From the Burj Khalifa and Wild Wadi to Dubai Creek and Burj Al Arab, no location was left unexplored.
“After having hosted English, Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi and even Malayalam productions in Dubai, we are proud to host Cruise Into Happiness, which is the first German production to be filmed here,” says Jamal Al Sharif, the chairman of Dubai Film and TV Commission [DFTC].
“Through our collaborations with various Dubai entities, we have worked to ensure that the production ran on schedule and the team had access to every facility we have to offer.
“Dubai is emerging as a premiere production destination for local, regional and international filmmakers with its mix of diverse locations and talented professionals, and here at DFTC, we are committed to ensuring seamless end-to-end services are made available to them.”
Exposure and promotion
Stocklov says: “The show will be a major promotion of Dubai as around Christmas time German people, especially families, are planning their holidays.
“We estimate that German tourist bookings abroad rise around 10 per cent as a result of where we film. I can’t prove the link of course, but a small commission would be nice as budgets are rather low,” he quipped.
The purse strings may be tight, but the reach of the series is sizeable, with an estimated 8 million viewers tuning in over the festive period to catch Cruise into Happiness and Dreamboat on the German broadcaster ZDF. While cult followings of the romantic-drama programmes continue to grow in Austria and Switzerland, it’s often Stocklov’s generation in Germany who hold the most nostalgic view.
“I’m 52 this year and I grew up watching the shows, especially Dreamboat. It’s an institution. And it looks like Cruise into Happiness is also becoming one, too.”
For more information, visit www.polyphon.de and facebook.com/polyphonfilm
rduane@thenational.ae
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Recycle Reuse Repurpose
New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled
Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays
Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters
Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Company%20Profile
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Biography
Favourite Meal: Chicken Caesar salad
Hobbies: Travelling, going to the gym
Inspiration: Father, who was a captain in the UAE army
Favourite read: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Favourite film: The Founder, about the establishment of McDonald's
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
7 Wolves 24 12 4 8 23 18 40
8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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