At the recent and inaugural HollyShorts Dubai film festival in Dubai, the short film Karayr (Cave) took home the top prize. To honor the special occasion and to continue to bring special attention to this films historic run, the 22nd Annual HollyShorts Film Festival, partnering with the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates, brought those behind the film to the United States for a celebration of their work.
Traveling from Dubai to Hollywood, filmmakers Nechteh Neo Apelian and Razan Takash were in attendance for a screening of their film and an awards reception for Takash, who took home the HollyShorts LA+Dubai Rising Star Award after the screening.
From the official press release:
“Welcoming Nechteh and Razan to Hollywood with Karayr is exactly what HollyShorts was built for,” said HollyShorts co-founders Daniel Sol and Theo Dumont. “Their film is a testament to the extraordinary creative talent emerging from Dubai — and we are proud to give it the international platform it deserves.
The film among the first Arab films to go from local Dubai film competitions all the way to a festival as prestigious as HollyShorts, whose award willing films also qualify them for both the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards.
Said Hessa Al Shuwaihi, the UAEs General Consul in the press release:
“Nechteh and Razan’s recognition in Hollywood is a moment worth celebrating — for them, for Dubai and for every Arab filmmaker who sees this and believes the same journey is possible. We hope their success opens doors for the next generation of storytellers from our region.”
Director Nechteh Neo Apelian and producer Razan Takash developed Karayr within Dubai’s thriving creative community, channeling the realities of grassroots Arab production into a work of international resonance. Their achievement speaks directly to the UAE’s National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries, demonstrating how regional talent can access — and succeed on — a global platform.
Developed in the creative community of Dubai, the film shows just how well regional creators and stories focused in smaller areas can still resonate with a global audience.
Said Razan Takash in the official press release:
“Bringing Karayr from the grassroots creative community of Dubai straight to Hollywood is an absolute dream, but more importantly, it validates a different path for independent filmmaking, one powered by community support rather than the traditional models of financing and distribution. To see that journey lead to a BAFTA- and Academy Award-qualifying stage proves that there is a genuine international appetite for bold, original stories from our region.
Additionally, Nechteh Neo Apelian added:
“We believe Arab Futurism is an exciting new movement that is allowing filmmakers from this region to reimagine our future and tell stories in ways the world hasn’t seen before. We are incredibly grateful to HollyShorts Dubai and the UAE Consulate for believing in that vision, and we hope this moment inspires more UAE based filmmakers to know that their unique voices deserve a place on the global stage.”
It was an honor to have them both in Los Angeles for the festival, and hopefully this is only part of a much more successful run for the two filmmakers and for the partnership between the two countries when it comes to filmmaking. A few photos from the event are going to be shared below.
Be on the lookout for more news from this partnership and for anything related to the HollyShorts Film Festival!
BITPIX TV News 