CinemaNA: Promised Sky 2026 in Abu Dhabi

CinemaNA: Promised Sky in Abu Dhabi is a one-night screening of Erige Sehiri’s drama at The Blue Hall, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday 3 November 2026. Doors open at 7pm and the film begins at 7:30pm. Promised Sky premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, and this is a chance to see it on a proper screen on Saadiyat Island rather than waiting for a streaming release.

The listing calls it a moving story of solidarity, resilience and belonging in modern Tunisia, and that sums up the film’s heart: three women, one home, and what happens when a child arrives.

What Promised Sky is about

Marie is an Ivorian pastor and former journalist who has lived in Tunisia for ten years. Over that time, her home has become a refuge for two other women. Naney is a young mother looking for a better future. Jolie is a strong-willed student carrying the hopes of her family. Between them, they have built something that works.

Then a little orphan girl arrives. Her presence tests the solidarity the three women have built, all against a tense social climate, and the story uses that pressure to show both how fragile and how strong their bond is. It is a film about migration, faith and chosen family, told from inside a household rather than from a distance.

Who is Erige Sehiri?

Erige Sehiri is a French Tunisian director, producer and former journalist, and Promised Sky is her second feature. She directed, co-wrote and co-produced it. Her path to fiction ran through documentary: her film Railway Men followed the daily lives of Tunisian railway workers.

Her first feature, Under the Fig Trees (2022), premiered at the 54th Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes, was selected to represent Tunisia at the 95th Academy Awards and has been released in cinemas in more than 20 countries. Away from the camera, she co-founded the media group Inkyfada and the Tunisian NGO Al Khatt, and she is a founding member of the Rawiyat, Sisters in Film collective. Her two features have both premiered at Cannes, first in the Directors’ Fortnight and now in Un Certain Regard, so if you have been following her work, this screening is the next chapter.

Cast and crew

The ensemble is led by Aïssa Maiga, with Deborah Christelle Naney, Laetitia Ky, Estelle Kenza Dogbo, Foued Zaazaa, Mohmed Grayaa and Touré Blamassi. It is a cast built around strong female performances, which suits a story so focused on the relationships between three women and a child.

Behind the camera, the screenplay is by Anna Ciennick and Malika Cécile Louati, working with Sehiri. Cinematography is by Frida Marzouk, editing by Nadia Ben Rachid and music by Valentin Hadjadj, with sound by Aymen Laabidi, Alexis Jung and Simon Apostolou. The film was produced by Didar Domehri and Erige Sehiri for Maneki Films and Henia Production.

The credits also show how much of the film was made across two countries. Julien Auer served as French line producer and Yasmine Dhoukar as Tunisian line producer, with Adrien Léongue supervising post-production and Karine Ourega handling hair and make-up. With teams in both France and Tunisia, the production itself reflects a story about people living between places.

Getting into the NYU Abu Dhabi campus

Because The Blue Hall is on a university campus, entry works differently from a regular cinema. You need two things: your event ticket and a campus access QR code, which NYUAD Campus Safety sends by email. Keep both on your phone. Entry to campus is through the East or West Parking or the Welcome Center, and the venue itself is in the A6 Arts and Humanities Building.

For wheelchair or other access bookings, contact the box office at nyuad.boxoffice@nyu.edu before the day.

Getting to Saadiyat Island

By car, the listing suggests Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street (E10) through Al Mina, then Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street (E12), continuing on to Laffan Street. GPS is advised for the final stretch on campus. By bus, route 170 runs to the Saadiyat New York University 3 stop, a short walk from the venue. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are also available.

Who it suits

Promised Sky suits anyone who follows world cinema and festival films, and especially viewers interested in North African and West African stories. If you saw Under the Fig Trees, this is the natural next step. It is also a thoughtful midweek plan for anyone curious about films on migration and community, and the kind of film you will want to talk through with a friend afterwards.

For more film, art and culture in the capital, browse our art and culture listings, our things to do in Abu Dhabi guide, the full things to do in November round-up and the latest what’s on picks.