Dr. Noora Alshamsi launches an AI-powered cinematic project that reimagines the Emirati story through a contemporary lens

Dr. Noora Alshamsi, Board of Trustees Member of Emirates Scholar Center for Research and Studies, and Member of the Emirates Youth Council for Entrepreneurship, unveiled her new cinematic work titled “The Secret Life of a Grain of Sand ”. She shared a first glimpse of this innovative project, which is built on advanced artificial intelligence technologies.

The film presents a contemporary vision that reinterprets the Emirati narrative through a fresh visual approach, placing the value of family at the heart of the national story. This comes in alignment with our wise leadership’s announcement of 2026 as the “Year of the Family”, reflecting its central role in the Emirati consciousness and in shaping the future. The story unfolds from the silence of the desert, through the era of pearl diving and the renaissance, and into the age of technology, delivering a message that the roots of identity remain firmly grounded, no matter how fast transformations unfold.

Dr. Noora is among the youth Emirati leaders exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to tell local stories in modern formats that blend authenticity with innovation. This aligns with her commitment to empowering youth, supporting emerging projects, and leveraging opportunities across various sectors to highlight the UAE’s role and strengthen its presence on the regional and global stage.

She affirmed that the film aims to offer a new narrative experience that reflects the spirit of the UAE, noting that her goal is to revive national memory through a renewed perspective. She described the project as one that “reintroduces the Emirati story with a fresh vision that places the value of family at the core of the narrative”.

The film is expected to attract wide interest from cultural audiences and the general public, as it opens new horizons and represents a qualitative leap in the use of artificial intelligence to serve Emirati storytelling. It also stands as an integrated artistic experience that blends human depth with digital innovation, elevating Emirati identity and reinforcing its presence on the global creative scene.