Franco Dragone – the visionary behind Cirque du Soleil's defining era – brought his first Middle Eastern production to Abu Dhabi: Story of a Fort, Legacy of a Nation, a theatrical celebration of Emirati heritage staged at the historic Qasr Al Hosn fort.
To announce the festival, we were tasked with capturing the spirit of the production across Abu Dhabi's most iconic landmarks. That meant securing access to locations that rarely – or never – permit filming. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, where photography is typically forbidden. The Yas Marina Circuit, where we shot performers on the Formula 1 track itself. Ancient architecture and modern ambition, side by side.
We filmed Dragone's international cast of dancers, acrobats, and gymnasts alongside a select group of local Emirati performers – the first collaboration of its kind in the region. The result is a commercial that moves the way the show does: with scale, grace, and deep respect for the culture it represents.
Role: Concept. Direction. Editorial.
The shoot spanned four days across Abu Dhabi's most protected landmarks – locations where film crews rarely, if ever, get access.
At the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, we laid dolly track across marble floors that typically forbid even photography. We shot at 100fps to capture the performers against columns inlaid with semi-precious stones and gold palm-leaf capitals – every frame earning its place in a space built for reverence, not production.
At Yas Marina Circuit, we had the F1 track to ourselves – acrobats and flag performers where race cars normally run, the Yas Viceroy hotel curving behind them. At Qasr Al Hosn, the 250-year-old fort at the heart of Abu Dhabi's origin story, we filmed Dragone's cast mid-flight against whitewashed ramparts. And along the coastline, we built dolly platforms in the sand to track performers against the city skyline at golden hour.
Four locations. Four different Emirati stories. One nation's identity, in motion.
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