From multiple script submissions to twelve powerful short films, We Create Drama has already taken filmmakers on a journey from page to screen. And now, the festival returns, bigger than ever, with Paramount Hotel Midtown joining Paramount Hotel Dubai for a week-long celebration of bold storytelling and cinematic vision. The drama unfolds in three acts: an Opening Ceremony, filmmaking workshops from this year’s talented judges and a grand Closing Awards Night.
ACT I: The Opening Scene
With the competition now complete, the festival opened its curtains on the evening of 21st June at Malibu Sky Lounge, atop Paramount Hotel Midtown. From 7.30 pm to 9 pm, guests mingled with the creative forces behind this year’s films: talented filmmakers and esteemed judges during a night brimming with conversation, connection and creative energy.
ACT II: Behind the Scenes – The Workshops
The spotlight shifts behind the camera as the festival invites aspiring creatives into the inner sanctum of filmmaking. Across two immersive evenings, the judges will lead in-depth workshops designed to unlock the craft of storytelling from script to screen.
The first workshop unfolds on 25th June at 6 pm in the Screening Room at Paramount Hotel Dubai, where guests will dive into the fundamentals of screenwriting, character development and visual storytelling. The second takes place on 26th June from 6 pm onwards at DAMAC Maison Aykon City, where the focus turns to direction, camera work and the art of translating vision into moving picture.
ACT III: The Grand Finale – Closing & Awards Ceremony
On 29th June from 5.30 pm onwards, the curtain rises one final time at Paramount Hotel Dubai, marking the grand conclusion of this year’s We Create Drama Film Festival.
The evening begins in the iconic Screening Room, where all participating films will be showcased, each frame a labour of love, each story a testament to unfiltered imagination. Then, as the final credits fade, the spotlight shifts to the most anticipated moment of the week: the official Awards Ceremony.
The winners will be selected by a distinguished panel of industry experts including award-winning directors, producers, and actors from across the globe, such as Mohammed Mamdouh, Egyptian film and television star; Razan Takash, acclaimed Jordanian director and Head of Film at SAE; Jingyu Liu, an award-winning filmmaker celebrated at Oscar-qualifying festivals; Mylène Gomera, a West End actress and voiceover artist for major global titles; Mohammad Rezaie from Nikon, Bethoven Filomeno from Westford University, Faisal Hasmi and Jamila Ibrahim, all respected creators in the regional film and media space. The panel also includes Nicolas Naim Zaboura, the festival’s founder and creative force behind immersive cinematic storytelling at Paramount Hotels.
(Contributed by Shivansh Shetye)