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UAE Golden Jubilee: Journalism graduate makes heart-warming film on 50th anniversary

Movie highlights key milestones in American University in Dubai's history and the country's accomplishments

A journalism graduate from a Dubai University has created a heart-warming film tribute to the UAE, as the nation celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Caline Al Hage who is an alumna of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication (MBRSC) at American University in Dubai (AUD), through her film charts a shared journey of growth between the university and the country as the UAE’s Golden Jubilee year coincides with her university, AUD’s 25th year in Dubai.

Caline, 23, who directed the film explains how her university and the country’s accomplishments in such a short span, inspired her to foray into her creative talent to capture stories, perceptions, beauty and the atmosphere around, through the moving images.

Caline says, “The UAE has grown and prospered in its 50 years of history and this has been a great source of inspiration for us as individuals and as an institution. I am a very proud graduate of AUD, as well as being a proud resident of the UAE, and it was only natural, on this special occasion, to bring them together in one film.”

A Lebanese national, Caline came to Dubai on an academic scholarship to the MBRSC at AUD in 2016 and underlines that being in the UAE has helped her to unleash the creativity within.

She further says, “When I came to Dubai, I really found and grew my passion, which is creating content in different forms. I was able to develop this through my undergraduate studies and now I’m pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership and Innovation in Contemporary Media.”

The video highlights key milestones in the university’s history with iconic imagery from across the UAE, while reflecting on the vision, ambition and perseverance of the nation.

The film which was directed by Caline was designed by a Lebanese-based advertising agency, C9 (Creative Nine) along with the guidance received from the AUD Communications department.

The final cut of the video was put together in less than two weeks and has gone viral on all AUD social media platforms.

Sophie Boutros, Executive Director of MBRSC and creative producer of the film, highlighted, “It’s always exciting to see our graduates use the skills they learn and to witness the blooming of their creative talent. With this project, I enjoyed watching Caline challenge herself to direct a film suited to such an important occasion, in a short span of time. The final result is a true reflection of her passion for media and her dedication to delivering a fitting tribute from her own university to mark this significant milestone.”