Gianluca Chakra is a film executive and producer who has redefined the landscape of cinema distribution and production in the Arab world. He founded Front Row Filmed Entertainment in 2003 in Dubai, identifying a critical gap in the Middle Eastern market for bold, auteur-driven content. Over the past two decades, Chakra has turned Front Row into one of the region’s most influential film distribution companies, releasing over 120 films annually across theatrical, digital, and broadcast platforms. He was also one of the first in the Middle East to embrace digital disruption—pioneering premium VOD partnerships with global platforms like Netflix, iTunes, and Google Play at a time when the industry was still tethered to traditional release models.

Recently, Chakra began producing, with credits including the Arabic-language Netflix hit Perfect Strangers and the acclaimed The Sand Castle, which became the most-watched Arabic-language film globally on Netflix in 2025. Chakra remains a vocal advocate for Arab storytelling, risk-taking cinema, and breaking down the region’s industry barriers.