Phars Film
Phars Film is a Dubai-founded, privately held film distribution and cinema exhibition company that distributes 350+ films annually across Gulf and MENA markets and operates 115+ cinema screens in the UAE under the Star Cinemas brand, with recent expansion into Oman via Century Cinemas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Phars Film does
Phars Film is a Dubai-headquartered, privately held film distribution and cinema exhibition company founded in 1964 by Ahmad Golchin, described as one of the Middle East's first organized distribution and exhibition operations. The company runs a dual business model: it distributes Hollywood, Bollywood, and other foreign-language films across Gulf and MENA markets (stated coverage includes Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE), overseeing the regional release and screening of more than 350 films per year; and it operates a cinema exhibition circuit under the Star Cinemas brand, with 115+ screens across the UAE plus 3 screens in Oman under the Century Cinemas brand.
The exhibition footprint is anchored in retail-mall locations through a partnership with Lulu Group's Line Investments & Property, which added 22 new screens in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain from 2023 onward and supported the 2025 entry into Oman at Nujum Mall in Al Buraimi. The company also has an Events division that manages premieres and special screenings, and has recently extended into South-Indian-language content, co-producing and distributing the Kannada film Toxic alongside KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. The corporate group includes Star Cinemas and Century Cinemas as wholly-owned operating subsidiaries under the PharsFilm legal entity, with Ahmad Golchin remaining the founder and chairman.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time licensing fees from film distribution and transaction-based cinema admissions (ticket sales and concessions), with no publicly disclosed pricing, revenue, or external funding. The company remains founder-controlled with 11-50 employees and a stated 62-year operating history, leveraging long-tenured producer, distributor, and retail-partner relationships rather than disclosed technology or capital-market activity.
Phars Film firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Phars Film
- Legal name
- Phars Film
- Website
- https://pharsfilm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Phars Film is a Dubai-founded, privately held film distribution and cinema exhibition company that distributes 350+ films annually across Gulf and MENA markets and operates 115+ cinema screens in the UAE under the Star Cinemas brand, with recent expansion into Oman via Century Cinemas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Phars Film industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Distribution and Cinema Exhibition
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theatrical Distribution (International) (MPADAJAB)
Keywords
Where Phars Film is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices6 records
Markets served
Phars Film business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Film Distribution: Distribution of Hollywood, Bollywood and other foreign-language films across the Gulf region. The company oversees regional release and screening of over 350 films annually through its distribution network.
- Cinema Exhibition (Starcinemas): Exhibition of films through owned and operated cinema screens under the Starcinemas brand across the GCC region.
Distribution channels4 records
Phars Film product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Phars Film distributes Hollywood, Bollywood, and other foreign-language films across Gulf region countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and UAE. The company also operates Star Cinemas, a cinema exhibition circuit with 115+ screens across the UAE, and manages cinema-related events and premieres.
Product overview
Phars Film is a Gulf-based film distribution and cinema exhibition company founded in Dubai in 1964 by Ahmad Golchin. The company operates a dual business model: (1) as a film distributor handling over 350 films annually across Hollywood, Bollywood, and regional language content, and (2) through its Star Cinemas exhibition circuit operating cinema screens across the UAE and Gulf region. The distribution network spans Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and UAE. Recent expansion includes a partnership with Lulu Group's Line Investments & Property to open 22 new cinema screens across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, as well as entry into Oman with Century Cinemas locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Star Cinemas: Cinema exhibition circuit operating across the UAE and Gulf region with over 115 screens
- Century Cinemas
Products and services
- Film Distribution Services Distribution of Hollywood, Bollywood, and other foreign-language films across Gulf region countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and UAE. The company oversees regional distribution and screening of over 350 films annually.
- Star Cinemas (Cinema Exhibition) Star Cinemas is the cinema exhibition circuit operated by Phars Film, with cinema screens across Dubai, Al Ain, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Abu Dhabi. The company operates 115+ screens across the UAE and has expanded through partnerships with Lulu Group to open new locations including Century Cinemas in Oman.
- Cinemas Event Management
Companies that use Phars Film
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Phars Film technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Phars Film partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- KVN ProductionscoreCo-producer of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups alongside Monster Mind Creations. KVN Productions is a Kannada film studio launched in 2020. Phars Film consulted with KVN Productions regarding the postponement of Toxic's release due to Middle East tensions.
- Monster Mind CreationscoreCo-producer of Toxic alongside KVN Productions. Yash's production company. Phars Film worked with Monster Mind Creations on distribution strategy and release timing for Toxic.
- Sri Venkateswara CreationsmajorAndhra Pradesh and Telangana distribution partner for Toxic film. Sri Venkateswara Creations secured distribution rights for the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana circuit at Rs 120 crore.
- Lulu Group (Line Investments & Property)majorStar Cinemas partnered with Lulu Group's subsidiary Line Investments & Property to launch 22 new cinema screens across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, positioning Star Cinemas as the second-largest cinema operator in the UAE. Also launched Century Cinemas at Nujum Mall in Al Buraimi, Oman.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Phars Film competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Phars Film social profiles
Digital presencePhars Film financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Phars Film leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Phars Film subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Phars Film funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Phars Film M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Phars Film
What does Phars Film do?
Phars Film distributes Hollywood, Bollywood, and other foreign-language films across Gulf region countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and UAE. The company also operates Star Cinemas, a cinema exhibition circuit with 115+ screens across the UAE, and manages cinema-related events and premieres.
Is Phars Film a public or private company?
Phars Film is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Phars Film founded?
Phars Film was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Phars Film based?
Phars Film is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Phars Film make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Film Distribution is the primary driver. The others are cinema Exhibition (Starcinemas).
Does Phars Film have an API?
No public API is recorded for Phars Film.
What industry is Phars Film in?
Phars Film's product category is Film Distribution and Cinema Exhibition. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAJAB, Theatrical Distribution (International). Its NAICS code is 51212 and its SIC code is 7830.