AI in the Dubai desert: Al Marmoom's film festival explores the future

The festival runs until January 12, immersing visitors in a world of film, art, and cultural experiences

Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert is being held at Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

Police on horseback greet visitors at the entrance to the venue

An installation of immersive art by Rakesh Pulapa and Naime Pakniyat

Eighty films are being showcased as part of the festival, including ones made using AI

Artist Ghaleb Hawila with his artwork The Cube

Artist Mikhail Antykov with his interactive artwork Colour of Shadow

The telescope observation deck allows visitors to view close-ups of the Moon and Jupiter

A desert is perhaps the last place you’d expect to find artificial intelligence, but the fourth Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert is using the technology to demonstrate new ways of storytelling and inviting audiences to craft their own films and artworks.

Independent cinema remains a cornerstone of the festival, which is running until January 12 at Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. Eighty films are being shown, including works by Emirati director Hussain Alansari, as well as a feature on the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Short films are also in the running in the competition section across several categories, including documentaries, animation, and live action. There is also a section dedicated entirely to films with AI.

“Dubai Culture, through this festival, aims to develop and elevate the local film industry by providing an innovative platform to support and empower talented individuals and filmmakers,” said Maitha Ali Al Blooshi, manager of the events section at Dubai Culture and project manager of Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert festival.

“The festival encourages them to express their perspectives and showcase their work to the public, thereby contributing to the growth of Dubai’s cultural and creative industries.”

But it is the interactive and immersive experiences, some of which use AI, that separate Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert from the landscape of other festivals in the region. They are also what underscores the festival’s theme, Where Stories Come to Life.

Look for example at the festival opener, which has a personalised red carpet generator, where audiences stand in front of a green screen as a software renders for them a boisterous digital reception, complete with fans and the flashes of photographers. Moving forward, there are installations across the landscape where visitors can use AI to create short films and music.

The installations, crafted by Dubai studio Hybrid Xperience, were developed for the event, says Jad Farhat, a representative for the company which specialises in curating AI experiences, and has set up installations at several events in the region, most recently at the Liwa Festival.

The installation at Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert was designed to be more streamlined, so that with a mere few taps and prompts, the AI software can generate a short film that is limited only by the imagination, and music that defies genre. Want a track of acoustic dub in a cyberpunk atmosphere? No problem. A short film, where a skunk and gorilla become friends after a heated basketball match? Forty seconds later and the work is on the screen.

“We saw there were musicians here, so we made this experience about people trying to create sound in a very basic way,” Farhat says. “You don't have to be a musician or an artist. Anyone can create something.”

Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert also has other components that make the most of its remote setting. From a telescope observation deck, which allows visitors to witness close-ups of the Moon and Jupiter to a planetarium that details fascinating stories and facts about the cosmos.

Artworks by international artists include an Al Marmoom mural by Abdulla Lutfi, a digital gallery featuring AI artworks by Lina Kattan, and an installation by Mikhail Antykov that aims to bring a new twist to the art of the selfie.

The installation invites people to stand in the midst of a sequence of LED frames and pose for a portrait that shows the manipulative potential of light.

“I wanted people to see how colour and light can change their face,” Antykov says. “It's not always beautiful. Sometimes, you will not be satisfied, but it shows the power of light and colour.”

One major festival highlight is The Cube by Ghaleb Hawila. The sculpture, crafted from steel features a poem by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. The poem is rendered with calligraphy that extends out of the steel cube and wraps around the installation. “We see dimensions in the letters, and this is because of my obsession with the Arabic language,” says Hawila.

He adds that he had long had the idea of presenting a steel cube within the desert. The contrast of materials and the symbolism of the cube shape and its references to the Arabic dot had long been an inspiration. However, is was the poem by Sheikh Mohammed that brought it all together.

“The installation is meant to show how we keep old wisdoms alive within us,” he says. “And the poem reflects that, saying how a country is not merely homes and streets, but its people.”

The work, he adds, is entirely handmade. “I wrote the poem on paper and then digitised it, and then we cut the steel and began welding. I’m grateful to Dubai Culture and Dubai Public Art who helped me with the research and the approval to use His Highness’s words.”

As with past iterations, Emirati culture has a strong presence across the festival, in both the film programme, and the food offerings, where visitors can try local favourites including ragag and luqaimat.

The festival’s workshop programme is also notably robust. More than two dozen workshops led by film creatives and experts are designed to inspire young talent to pursue careers in various roles in cinema and the arts. These include workshops in cinematography, acting, directing and special effects. There are also more unexpected additions, such as courses in astronomy and panels about AI and how it will feature in films of the future.

But the true main attraction, according to Al Blooshi, is the setting itself. “The fourth edition of the festival is distinguished by its diverse activities, encouraging visitors to explore the Al Marmoom Desert as a natural reserve and a significant cultural destination in Dubai.”

“The festival offers a chance to learn about traditional crafts, immerse in local heritage, and savour authentic Emirati cuisine in a setting thoughtfully designed to blend artistic and cultural elements.”