Dubai, UAE – 7 January, 2025: An engaging lineup of activities and educational sessions await visitors at the fourth edition of the Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert festival, hosted by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) at the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve until 12 January. This initiative, part of the ‘Dubai Quality of Life’ strategy, aligns with Dubai Culture's commitment to fostering a vibrant ecosystem to support talent and filmmakers. By providing a dynamic platform for innovation and showcasing artistic works, the event contributes to elevating Dubai’s local film industry and cementing its status as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

Under the theme ‘Where Stories Come to Life,’ the festival presents over 30 distinctive workshops and seminars. Highlights include insights into documentary filmmaking by director and poet Nujoom Al Ghanem in her session ‘Documentary Filmmaking.’  In ‘Preparation of the Text and Ideas Draft,’ director Talal Mahmoud emphasises the importance of cinematic drafts as the foundation of every story, concept, and screenplay—from paper to execution.  Meanwhile, director Hani Alshaibani provides an introduction to film direction for beginners, outlining the pathway to professional filmmaking in ‘Film Directing.’

Further enriching the schedule, Salem Aljunaidi discusses the standards and essentials of digital platforms in ‘Dealing with Digital Platforms,’ and Mariam Alserkal highlights the criteria for award eligibility at festivals in her session ‘The Essentials of Film Acceptance for Festivals.’ Director Hussein Al Ansari explores cost-effective production strategies in ‘Low-Budget Film Productions.’ 

Other notable topics on the agenda include ‘Animation then, now and the future with AI,’ led by Peter Chanthanakone, and ‘HIC SVNT LEONES “Here There Are Lions”,’ an insightful seminar presented by Dr Ioannis Galanopoulos Papavasileiou and Ricardo Braganca. Sultan Davon explores ‘Cinematic Composition,’ while Dr Ilze Eklsa offers a thought-provoking session titled ‘Delma Isle Unveiled: Revealing Architecture through Visual Deconstruction.’ Additionally, Abdullah AlRemeithi reflects on the evolution of cinema in ‘Cinema Before and After,’ and Tala Atrouni, Nahed Chakouf, and Dr Ahmed El-Attar collaborate on ‘Reimagining Heritage Through Technology: Bridging Tradition and Innovation.’

The event also offers diverse hands-on workshops. Hani Alghas introduces techniques for producing content using mobile phones in ‘Film Content Production,’ while Farah Khir’s ‘Cinematic Makeup’ focuses on the art of professional makeup and special effects. Nawaf Almatrooshi covers lighting and visual composition in ‘Cinematography,’ and Mohammed Al Hameed explores the fundamentals of video and film editing in ‘Production.’  Participants can also explore unique topics, such as Khadidja Akhmad‘s ‘Introduction to Astronomy’ and Eisa Kayed’s ‘Preparing an Actor’ session. Artist Marai Alhalyan explores performance techniques in ‘The Actor's Tools’ while Sheeraz Awan explores the wonders of the sky in ‘Arabian Astronomy: Stories the Sky’ and ‘Telescope.’ Additional activities delve into the creative aspects of filmmaking, such as techniques for ‘Cinematic Special Effects and ‘Lighting and Sound.’              

Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert also features workshops for a younger audience, designed to nurture their creative and artistic skills. Key sessions include Ali Nabeel’s ‘Kids Pantomime Acting,’ which explores pantomime as a cinematic art form that enhances children’s intelligence and communication skills. In the ‘Kids Storyboard Editing’ workshop, participants learn post-production techniques using tablets, while the ‘Short Animated Film’ session introduces cartoon filmmaking and image animation. Sultan Dafoonon equips young learners with essential artistic skills in ‘Child Actor and Technician Preparation’ and ‘Kids Photography.’  Talal Mahmoud adds to the youth-focused agenda with ‘Fundamentals of the Idea and

Formation of Photography.’

Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children is also hosting workshops led by expert artists and trainers during the festival. These include pottery shaping, scarf printing using carved templates and vibrant fabric dyes, flipbook animation, clay-based animation for short stop-motion scenes, and other creative activities.

Maitha Ali Al Blooshi, Project Manager of Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert, emphasised Dubai Culture's dedication to cultivating an environment that empowers talent and enhances their capabilities in film and the arts, saying, 'The festival’s offerings allow all community members to discover their passion for cinematic art and develop their skills. Learning new techniques empowers them to express their artistic visions and ideas. This contributes to shaping Dubai’s local film industry and elevating its position on the global cultural stage.'

The festival is held in collaboration with an extensive list of partners, including Dubai Mounted Police, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Ambulance, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence, the Roads and Transport Authority, the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, The Climate Tribe, Lina Kattan, Emirates Airlines, Zayed University, Sandooq Al Watan, Emirates Photography Society, Maraya, Freej, Ferjan Dubai, and Immersee.