• The first video looks at how the Arabian Oryx has been reinstated to its natural habitat

Dubai: Great Big Story, the London-based award-winning production company, has partnered with the Museum of the Future to produce five short films that highlight Dubai as a city that is embracing technology towards a more sustainable future. The first film in the series looks at how the Arabian Oryx, a species of Antelope, was saved from going extinct.

"Saving The Desert Unicorn" looks at how over the last 25 years, the Arabian Oryx has been brought back from the brink of extinction and now thrives in its natural habitat. The conservation team has been so successful in this mission, that they aim to soon stop supplementing their food supply, as the oryx will be able to fully support themselves and be true natives to their surroundings once again.

Other films in the series include how robots are operating deliveries to residents and businesses, and how vertically farmed foods are being used by Dubai’s Emirates airline in their in-flight meals. The series will include five examples of how Dubai is at the forefront of technological advancement, as they work toward creating a better future for all humanity.

The Museum of the Future opened in 2022, but the idea first came to life in 2014. It was created to showcase how Dubai is working towards a more sustainable and optimistic future. The building is a futuristic marvel in itself. The facade is made from stainless steel and consists of 1,024 pieces manufactured by a specialised robot-assisted process; covering a total surface area of 17,600 square metres.

Great Big Story is an award-winning factual publisher that was launched in 2015 by CNN and relaunched in 2023 by Whynow Media. The social-first channel produces mini-docs on food, travel and tech to an audience of 15 million followers worldwide.

Genevieve Ingham, Executive Producer at Great Big Story said: “We’re delighted to be working with the team at the Museum of the Future - it’s not every job you get to work with animal conservationists and AI robots in the same day! I was lucky enough to visit the team at the museum and witness first-hand the truly inspirational and innovative work that is being undertaken. It was such a pleasure to create these films that showcase the strides being taken in the UAE to improve the environment.”

Abdulla Al Nuaimi, Chief Marketing Officer at the Museum of the Future and Dubai Future Foundation said: “Working with Great Big Story has been a dynamic experience for us, bringing our stories to life with such engaging storytelling.  We are working hard to find ways to safeguard our world for future generations. Partnering with Great Big Story has allowed us to share this message to their global audience, and we hope to inspire others to take up the cause.”

The first film has gone live on the Great Big Story channel on April 17, with the subsequent films released in the following weeks on a Wednesday.

You can subscribe to Great Big Story here, and find out more about The Museum of the Future here.

For more information please contact Emma Turner on emma@greatbigstory.com or Khadija.elrabti@museumofthefuture.ae.

About Great Big Story

Great Big Story was launched in 2015 by CNN and grew to become a global media company devoted to cinematic storytelling. Headquartered in New York with a bureau in London, its studios created and distributed micro docs and short films, as well as series for digital, social, TV and theatrical release.

After shutting its doors in 2020 the brand was reignited in 2023 when it was licensed to Whynow Media. Since then the team has continued to bring to life incredible stories from around the world. You can watch them here on the Great Big Story YouTube channel.

About Museum of the Future

The Museum of the Future is the first museum of its kind. Built to transform the very perception of the future as we know it, the unique structure has become home to several immersive future environments that aim to position visitors in an empowering version of the future. Through distinctive themes, it elicits a world we thought we could only experience 50 years from now. Visitors become active participants in an expansive experience that taps into all five senses. By meaningfully merging aspects of science, technology and spirituality, MOTF inspires humanity to re-imagine the future and all its possibilities.

One of the most complex and ambitious projects ever executed, with an instantly iconic inimitable exterior. Rising 77-metres above the ground and comprising 1,024 unique stainless steel composite panels, the façade is adorned in Arabic calligraphy, displaying three quotes written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and the Ruler of Dubai.