UAE Government Media Office found a splendid way to encourage winter tourism - all thanks to Tahaab Rais (formerly of FP7 & McCann) who left them a parting gift at the door. Is the film touristic? You bet it is. But the beauty of it is that would have been pure boring cliches are viewed from a totally different angle. Do we "see" Burj Khalifa? Do we delight at the sight of dune buggies? Do we feast our eyes with the camp fire near the tent at night? Do we enjoy the (artificial) snow visually? Yes we do. But the main protagonist of the film "hears" the fireworks of the Burj Khalifa, enjoys the wind striking her face as the buggies speed through the desert, is able to feel the warmth the fire against the cold night, and eventually can touch the tenderness of the snow... Why? Because the genius of the creative idea is that she is blind.
Mark Twain said, "the coldest winter is summer in San Francisco" but the "world's coolest winter" is one in the UAE. A country that can be felt, through its traditions, values and hospitality with even being seen. In his masterpiece The Little Prince, Antoine de St Exupery said "we only see well with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eyes".
Clara, the main protagonist of the film echoes this by saying: “You know what I learnt, when you really want to feel something, we don’t need to look with our eyes. We need to look with our hearts. So, even if I cannot see, it’s everything I have felt here that has helped me see so much more.”
Please watch the film here.