Chapter 9: Shared Enemies

"This is Mr. Michael Davenport, President of Seagull Entertainment."

"And this is my brother Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Director of the UAE Presidential Office and Head of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority."

With Salih's introduction, Michael and the prominent figure from Abu Dhabi shook hands.

After the introductions, Salih tactfully excused himself.

In the opulent meeting room, there were only four people left: Michael, Sheikh Mansour, and two of Mansour's aides standing nearby.

From the moment Michael saw Mansour, his mind raced. The name had seemed familiar, and seeing the man in person confirmed it. Mansour appeared to be in his mid-thirties, a typical Arab face that Michael was sure he had seen before.

"Mr. Davenport," Mansour said politely, "welcome to Abu Dhabi."

Michael smiled in return. "Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity Abu Dhabi has given me."

A memory surfaced—this man was none other than the Sheikh Mansour who, in Michael's previous life, had heavily invested in the English Premier League's Manchester City Football Club. By then, he was already the frontman for the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, whose assets reportedly exceeded a trillion dollars.

This was indeed a heavyweight figure.

Even now, with his dual titles, he was a significant player.

Michael had never dealt with someone of this caliber before, and suddenly he felt a bit nervous. Reaching this level of power wasn't just about royal lineage; Mansour had to be highly capable. Convincing him to open his wallet wouldn't be easy.

Any misstep could render all of Michael's previous efforts futile.

This was a crisis.

But Michael showed no signs of unease, maintaining a calm and natural demeanor. After all, a crisis often brings opportunity.

If this were ten years later, with Arab funds already entrenched in the Western world, Michael would have retreated after some pleasantries. But now...

Since arriving in Abu Dhabi, he had frequently interacted with people from the Investment Authority and sensed their mindset. Having accumulated oil wealth, Abu Dhabi wasn't just looking to invest for profit; they wanted to make a name for themselves globally and increase their influence.

Mansour's massive investment in the Premier League was likely a reflection of this ambition.

If Mansour decided to invest, the funding issues would be resolved.

Although he had reservations, Michael couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

After some small talk, Mansour got straight to the point. "Mr. Davenport, I heard you recently had a film project that didn't go well?"

Mansour had attended the first day of the conference, collected a lot of information, and had the Investment Authority's US office investigate Michael Davenport and Seagull Entertainment.

Although the investigation results hadn't yet arrived, Michael's performance and the thorough documentation, including tax records, were reassuring.

"Yes," Michael admitted, knowing there was no hiding it. "I raised $6 million for an action film called 'Surviving the Killzone,' but it only made $800,000 at the North American box office."

Mansour frowned slightly, and one of his aides, a heavyset man, interjected, "Your first film failed. How can you ensure the success of the second one?"

Their money came from oil, not the wind.

Michael observed carefully. Mansour didn't want to say such direct words himself, so he had his aide ask.

"Many great directors and producers in Hollywood, like Spielberg and George Lucas, didn't succeed with their first films," Michael said, unfazed by his past failures. "James Cameron, the director of 'Titanic,' also had his first film, 'Piranha,' flop miserably."

"James Cameron's first film was a failure?" The heavyset aide seemed skeptical.

Michael smiled. "It's no secret in Hollywood." He continued, "I'm not as talented as those remarkable figures, but 'Surviving the Killzone' was my first film. I was impulsive and aggressive, making many mistakes. Failure taught me a lot, and I'm now better prepared to avoid those mistakes in my next project."

Mansour smiled and changed the topic. "Salih mentioned you've faced a lot of trouble from the Jewish community?"

Michael smiled again, this time with a hint of bitterness. "It's not just trouble. The non-Jewish influence in Hollywood is very limited."

He glanced at Mansour's aides.

Mansour understood. "Rest assured, I guarantee on the honor of the Al Nahyan family that our conversation won't be leaked."

In truth, Michael wasn't worried about leaks. There were plenty of reasons, like Arab defamation, that he could cite. This was to show Mansour his sincerity and to garner his attention.

"You've probably heard that Jewish influence in Hollywood is immense," Michael said, focusing on the Arabs' traditional adversary. "There's even a trend of them controlling the entire industry."

To be honest, he wasn't fond of either group. In fact, he had a worse opinion of the Arabs. But this wasn't the time for personal feelings.

He remembered a saying from a Hollywood mogul: "Remember, don't get emotional; this is the entertainment industry. Taking it seriously means you lose."

This applied to Hollywood's narrative control and to personal feelings within the industry.

Mansour nodded. "The Jewish-controlled Hollywood has always defamed Arabs."

Anyone paying attention to Hollywood films could see that.

Michael continued, "There are many in Hollywood who don't like the Jewish influence, but they all face suppression and exclusion."

He thought of Mel Gibson, a superstar and Oscar-winning director, who was later ostracized.

Mansour's expression grew serious, aware of America's pervasive anti-Semitic sentiment.

The Arab world's conflict with the Jews was intense, with the UAE's military largely aimed at defending against Israel.

"My father and I, as well as Seagull Entertainment, are part of Hollywood's non-Jewish faction," Michael said. "The Davenport family has no Jewish blood and has always kept its distance from them. None of our films have ever praised the Jews."

Aside from "Surviving the Killzone," Seagull Entertainment had produced typical B-movies, characterized by simplicity, absurdity, violence, and gore, avoiding any ethnic sentiments that might alienate audiences.

Michael began to weave truth into his story. "Seagull Entertainment has only ever secured a total of $2 million in loans from Jewish-influenced film investment firms, and all of it was asset-backed loans!"

He showed some indignation. "My father was very capable but constrained by funding, unable to expand Seagull Entertainment."

In Michael's narrative, the elder Davenport's conservatism turned into something different. "Many small companies founded around the same time as Seagull Entertainment have become medium-sized companies. But Seagull Entertainment? With limited funds and distribution channels, it remains a small company after ten years, only able to produce video tapes to stay afloat."

"What happened to your father?" Mansour asked.

Michael's eyes reddened. "He died in an accident."

Mansour quickly said, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Michael continued to embellish. "My father always told me to make Seagull Entertainment bigger, to make big movies."

He appeared to be a dutiful son. "So, I impulsively made 'Surviving the Killzone,' hoping to fulfill his wish."

Mansour consoled him. "You'll succeed in the future."

Michael said gravely, "If Hollywood weren't controlled by Jewish forces, Seagull Entertainment wouldn't be in this position."

He then told another truth. "I applied for assistance from the Producers Guild's 'Film Industry Health and Welfare Plan.' Seagull Entertainment is a member of the Producers Guild, paying hefty dues annually. This plan is meant to help companies and producers within the guild facing difficulties, but the guild's power lies with the big companies."

He continued with a bit more fabrication. "The top executives of these big companies are mostly Jews. Since Seagull Entertainment and I don't align with the Jewish influence, we were rejected."

Mansour slowly nodded, linking Michael's words to the Middle East situation. The Jews had always been like this.

Suddenly, Mansour felt a sense of shared enmity.

Michael added, "The banks won't lend, and I couldn't get assistance. I have to raise funds to save the company. No matter how tough it gets, I won't sing praises for the Jews in my films."

"You're right," Mansour agreed. "Submitting to Jewish demands in times of difficulty will only make them more arrogant."

From Mansour's words and attitude, Michael judged that he hadn't made any mistakes.

The simplest way to gain favor with Arabs was to leverage their animosity towards Jews.

"Mr. Davenport, I personally admire your approach to the Arab characters in your script," Mansour said, changing the topic. "Why not make the Arabs the main characters?"

Michael explained, "Having Arab characters as the main protagonists might make the film less relatable to Western audiences. However, by making them crucial supporting characters, we can highlight their significance without alienating the broader audience. This way, we can subtly influence perceptions while ensuring the film's success."