Paramount Hotel Dubai’s ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival Season 3 Finale

The iconic Paramount Hotel Dubai recently hosted the grand finale of Season 3 of the “We Create Drama” Film Festival, a cinematic extravaganza that celebrates creativity, talent, and passion in filmmaking. This prestigious event attracted luminaries, rising stars, and creatives from the industry for a day packed with workshops, AI sessions, panel discussions, a glamorous red carpet, and an exclusive movie premiere screening.

The festival showcased the top nine short films, shortlisted from over sixty script submissions from across the UAE. The dazzling red carpet award ceremony honored the filmmakers and acknowledged their exceptional contributions to the craft.

A Festival of Creativity and Talent

For three consecutive years, the ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival has been organized by Paramount Hotel Dubai. This year, the event 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 within a strict 24-hour period. A distinguished panel of industry experts reviewed and judged the entries, 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
• Razan Takash, Head of Film at SAE Institute

Workshops and Insights

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 cinematography fundamentals, while Paramount Hotel Dubai conducted an engaging short film workshop, providing hands-on insights into 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 exclusive insights into securing funding for 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.

Celebrating Excellence

“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,” 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.”

And the Winners Are...

Prizes from Nikon Middle East & Africa, GrandStores LLC, Zhiyun, and Paramount Hotel Dubai were awarded to the winners in various categories:

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 the curtains close on this year’s ‘We Create Drama’ Film Festival, preparations are already underway to set the stage for Season 4. Stay tuned for more updates and join us in celebrating the spirit of innovation and storytelling excellence.