Phars Film

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.

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

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

• Film distribution
• Cinema exhibition
• Movie distribution
• Cinema operations
• Entertainment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Cinema Exhibition (Starcinemas): Exhibition of films through owned and operated cinema screens under the Starcinemas brand across the GCC region.

Distribution channels4 records

Core 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

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• KVN ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Co-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 CreationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Co-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 CreationsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 February 2026Andhra 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)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2023Star 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

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pharsfilm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pharsfilm1521
• Facebookfacebook.com/pharsfilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharsfilmcollc
• Instagraminstagram.com/pharsfilm
• TikToktiktok.com/@pharsfilm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Phars Film