The finale of season 3 of the “We Create Drama” Film Festival, a cinematic extravaganza, was held at the iconic Paramount Hotel Dubai. This culmination of creativity, talent, and passion brought together luminaries, rising stars, and creatives from the filmmaking industry for a day filled with workshops, AI sessions, panel discussions, a packed red carpet, and a premiere movie screening.
The film festival showcased the top nine short films shortlisted from more than sixty script submissions from all over the UAE. The dazzling red carpet award ceremony honored the filmmakers and commended exceptional contributions to the craft.
The ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival, organized by Paramount Hotel Dubai for three consecutive years, and this year, it was held in partnership with Nikon Middle East & Africa, Grand Stores LLC, Westford University College, SAE Institute Dubai, and Zhiyun. Each shortlisted script was provided with all the necessary equipment to bring their visions to life, with filming taking place at Paramount Hotel Dubai during a strict 24-hour period. Once the films were submitted, a distinguished panel of industry experts, including Nicolas Naim, Executive Producer Creative at Paramount Hotel Dubai, Ruben Nepales, Award-winning Hollywood Journalist, Janet Nepales, Award-winning Hollywood Journalist & Author and Voting Member of the Golden Globe Awards, Mohammad Rezaie, Filmmaker and Director of Photography at Nikon Middle East and Africa, and Razan Takash, Head of Film at SAE Institute, reviewed and judged the entries.
The festival also recognized the invaluable contributions of its partners and panelists, whose expertise and support significantly enriched the experience for all attendees. Nikon Middle East & Africa hosted a captivating beginner’s crash course on the fundamentals of cinematography, equipping aspiring filmmakers with essential skills to get started. Paramount Hotel Dubai conducted an engaging short film workshop, providing hands-on insights into the art of storytelling through film.
Arslan Javed from Musavir.ai led an innovative workshop on the use of AI in film, exploring its potential and future impact on the industry. Miranda Davidson from Miranda Davidson Studios offered an enlightening workshop on film funding, giving audience members exclusive insights into securing funding for their film projects in the region. These workshops, led by industry experts, provided invaluable knowledge and inspiration, making the ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival a truly insightful experience for all participants.
“The ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival is a testament to our brand vision ‘For the Creative by the Creative,’ a legacy we’ve proudly upheld for over a century. This festival is not only about filmmaking; it is about discovering and fostering storytelling talent. Through this festival, we aim to cultivate a vibrant community of storytellers committed to honing their craft. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the industry experts and aspiring filmmakers who made this festival a resounding success. Each film and every participant embodies the spirit of innovation and storytelling excellence,” remarked Pascal Eggerstedt, General Manager of Paramount Hotel Dubai. “We are immensely proud of the creative ingenuity showcased at this year’s festival and are already beginning to plan the next season of the ‘We Create Drama’ film festival.”
Prizes from Nikon Middle East & Africa, GrandStores LLC, Zhiyun, and Paramount Hotel Dubai were awarded to the winners of the festival in categories ranging from Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Actor, to Best Director.
Congratulations to the winners at the festival:
Best Film
Winner: The Vision
Runner-ups: Determined, Dinner for Two, Mircurrie
Best Cinematography
Winner: Determined
Runner-ups: The Vision, Unrealized Elegies
Best Screenplay
Winner: The Vision
Runner-ups: Dinner for Two, Helium
Best Actress
Winner: Somaya Kubeisy (Dinner for Two)
Runner-ups: Ameera Teano (Mircurrie), Romina Satvat (Helium), Urvasi Jaswani (Rising the Falling Star)
Best Actor
Winner: Victor Sant-annah (Determined)
Runner-ups: Robert Abboud (Dinner for Two), Teq Zwarych (The Vision), Keith Dallison (The Vision), Chineme Prince (Unrealized Elegies)
Best Director
Winners: Rosella Age / Joe Alexander (Determined)
Runner-ups: Hariprasath Rajan (The Vision), Norah Alheraiz (Dinner for Two), Nico Mauricio (Mircurrie)
As Paramount Hotel Dubai closes the curtains for this year’s ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival, preparations are already underway to set the stage for Season 4…
