Middle East Film & Comic Con (MEFCC), the region’s largest pop culture festival, has announced that French actress Pom Klementieff, who starred in the 2023 blockbusters Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, is the latest celebrity to join the galaxy of stars lined up for the event next month.
Klementieff, who received global recognition for her role as Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, will be joining the convention in Abu Dhabi, being held from 9 – 11 February 2024 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
Born in Canada’s Quebec City to a Korean mother and French-Russian father, Klementieff started acting at age 19 and made her professional debut with the French independent film Après lui (2007). She made her Hollywood debut in Spike Lee’s Oldboy (2013), a remake of the South Korean film of the same name, during the filming of which she trained three hours a day for two months for an on-screen fight with co-star Josh Brolin.
The endearing face of Mantis
It is Pom’s portrayal of Mantis in Marvel Cinematic Universe films including the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), that sealed Klementieff’s legacy as an endearing and versatile actress. She is scheduled to reprise her character as Paris in the yet-untitled eighth Mission: Impossible film in 2025. Klementieff will be looking to share more insights from her fabulous creative journey with the audience in Abu Dhabi during Middle East Film & Comic Con 2024.
All-star celebrity line-up in 2024
Pom will be part of a star-studded guest line-up of the 2024 edition of Middle East Film & Comic Con – joining Harry Potter’s Weasley twins, James and Oliver Phelps; Mexican actor and One Piece star Iñaki Godoy; iconic Star Wars actor Temuera Morrison; and Troy Baker, the American voice actor and musician, best known for his role as Joel in The Last of Us. The line-up also includes Frank Welker, the voice behind Transformers’ Megatron, Garfield and Scooby Doo; Peter Cullen, the voice actor behind Optimus Prime, the protagonist of Transformers; as well as comic creators Mark Brooks, Carlo Pagulayan, Stephen Segovia, and Steve McNiven.
Kode Abdo joins Comic Creator lineup
The latest addition to the Comic Creator lineup is digital artist Kode Abdo, best known as BossLogic. Kode is an iconic digital creator with a 2.2 million social following on Instagram alone. He is renowned for creating photo manipulations and artwork inspired by pop culture as well as crafting official promotional artwork for iconic Hollywood and DC/Marvel blockbusters. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, he transcended humble beginnings to revolutionize digital art, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy with his unique photo-manipulated images.
Ultimate fan experience at MEFCC
Boasting a 12-year legacy of celebrating film, TV, sci-fi, anime, manga, gaming, comics and collectibles, MEFCC is being held in strategic partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
This year, MEFCC aims to create the ultimate fan experience in the capital with attendees spoilt by an abundance of attractions – ranging from Meet the Stars, where visitors can meet celebrities and create memories of a lifetime; the Comic Creators Club, where avid fans can get their own unique commissions; the Artist Alley featuring local and regional emerging and established artists showcasing and selling their latest work; and the Gaming Arena, where enthusiasts can level up with the latest challenges.
The Main Stage at MEFCC will host celebrity panels, interviews, community sessions and fan screenings, while the Festival Plaza is where visitors will get to enjoy live entertainment, music, activities, and lip-smacking food and beverages. Making its debut at MEFCC this year is the Japanese Village that brings a taste of the Land of the Rising Sun to Abu Dhabi with traditional experiences including Yukata tryouts, origami, calligraphy, and live performances.
For more information about MEFCC and to purchase tickets, visit www.mefcc.com and follow @mefcc to stay connected.