, ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Dub ai , ▁Ab u ▁D hab i ▁and ▁D oh a , ▁Q atar ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁to ▁commence ▁initial ▁pre - production . ▁They ▁met ▁with ▁heads ▁of ▁state ▁and ▁prominent ▁government ▁officials , ▁royal ty , ▁and ▁private ▁execut ives ▁in ▁each ▁location ▁to ▁secure ▁fund ing ▁and ▁shooting ▁perm its . ▁ ▁It ▁later ▁emer ged ▁that ▁Cru el ▁Summer ▁would ▁be ▁exclus ively ▁shot ▁in ▁D oh a , ▁the ▁capital ▁city ▁of ▁Q atar . ▁The ▁project ▁was ▁produced ▁in ▁association ▁with ▁the ▁D oh a ▁Film ▁Institute , ▁a ▁cultural ▁and ▁film ▁finan cing ▁organization ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Her ▁Ex cell ency ▁She ik ha ▁Al - May assa ▁b int ▁Ham ad ▁bin ▁K hal ifa ▁Al - Th ani , ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Q atar ' s ▁royal ▁family ▁and ▁sister ▁of ▁the ▁r uling ▁Em ir , ▁His ▁High ness ▁She ikh ▁Tam im ▁bin ▁Ham ad ▁Al ▁Th ani . ▁ ▁Sarah ▁A ., ▁a ▁first ▁time ▁Q at ari ▁actress ▁played ▁the ▁female ▁lead ▁in ▁Cru el ▁Summer . ▁Never ▁before ▁has ▁a ▁Q at ari ▁woman ▁star red ▁in ▁a ▁movie ▁in ▁the ▁country ' s ▁history . ▁ ▁Production ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁mid - A pril , ▁just ▁one ▁month ▁before ▁the ▁movie ' s ▁premi ere ▁during ▁C annes ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁Post - production ▁and ▁editing ▁subsequently ▁occurred ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁West