Dubai Films And Games Commission Launches Inaugural Film And Gaming Forum At Arab Media Summit 2025

The Dubai Films and Games Commission, under the guidance of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced the first Film and Gaming Forum at the Arab Media Summit 2025. Scheduled from 26 to 28 May, this initiative aims to enhance media sectors and aligns with Dubai's vision to be a global leader in content creation.

Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson of the Dubai Media Council, highlighted the significance of this forum. She stated: "The launch of the Film and Gaming Forum represents a significant expansion of the Arab Media Summit’s agenda, reflecting our commitment to embracing the full spectrum of today’s media industry." This event underscores Dubai's role in fostering growth in film and gaming sectors.

Nehal Badri, Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council, emphasised that film and gaming are becoming crucial components of the media economy. These sectors influence technology integration, job creation, and talent development. The forum will bring together industry leaders to discuss building local talent pipelines and enhancing regional production capabilities.

Hesham Al Olama from the Dubai Media Council explained that the forum is designed as a platform for global players like Amazon and Netflix. It aims to facilitate collaboration and explore cinema, gaming, and digital storytelling both regionally and globally.

The opening day will feature sessions focusing on regional creative talent. A session titled ‘The Future of Gaming: From Passion to Profession’ will include speakers like Mohammed Al Albsimi from TrueGaming. Another session will explore emerging trends in media technologies with insights from various innovators.

A panel on ‘Women in Film and Cinema’ will be held with partners like Netflix. This session includes curated screenings highlighting women's contributions to film. On the second day, a session titled ‘Drama’s Success in the Digital Age’ will feature prominent voices from drama production.

Exploring Future Opportunities

In collaboration with Olsberg SPI, a session on ‘Future of TV and Cinema Production’ will examine how the Arab world can revitalise its cinema era. This discussion will address challenges and opportunities within these sectors as part of a broader soft power strategy.

A special session titled ‘Emirati Film Industry … Where is it Heading?’ will gather Emirati filmmakers for discussions moderated by Latifa Khoory from the Dubai Media Council.

Engaging Conversations

The final day coincides with the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit. It opens with Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan in conversation with Anas Bukhash. Actress Laila Abdallah will also participate in a session about social media truths moderated by Rodolph Hilal.

A high-profile panel featuring Ahmed El Sakka and others will follow. Dominique Unsworth from Resource Productions will discuss festival participation's value in raising cinematic quality during a session held with Amazon.

Concluding Insights

The forum concludes with discussions on video game industry dynamics between public and private sectors. Participants include Rob Otten from Hexagram Rethink Entertainment and Faisal Kazim from Dubai Future Foundation. These sessions aim to foster dialogue on sustainable growth within these industries across the Arab world.

With inputs from WAM