Filipino filmmaker Rodson Verr Suarez (inset) makes global mark as lone Southeast Asian finalist in Dubai’s $1 million AI film award with his entry called Portrait No. 72.

A Filipino filmmaker from Laguna has placed the Philippines and Southeast Asia on the global creative map after being named among the Top 12 finalists of the world’s largest AI-generated film award, valued at $1 million, at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai. Rodson Verr Suarez is the lone Filipino finalist and the only Southeast Asian entry to make it into the final shortlist of the prestigious competition, organised by the UAE Government Media Office in collaboration with Google Gemini. Suarez is the Head of Video of Nas Academy's AI School. His 10-minute AI-generated short film, Portrait No. 72, stood out among 3,500 submissions from around the world, earning a place in the final 12 after months of review by a global jury of filmmakers, creative directors, and technology experts. Vote here

A deeply human story with a Dubai connection

Set in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi, Portrait No. 72 follows Ruhan, an aging photographer who has been told he has 72 days left to live. Using his old Yashica camera, Ruhan takes one photograph a day, staging his own death in each frame and pinning the images to a wall marked with 72 slots. “The doctor told him he’ll die in 72 days, so he takes one photo every day, trying to get the perfect one,” says Ishan, Ruhan’s young protégé, as the film opens. When Ishan asks why his mentor keeps photographing himself as if dead, Ruhan replies quietly: “I don’t have a family. When I die, no one will take my photo.” Ruhan hopes to pass on his love of photography to the boy, but Ishan is drawn to capturing life rather than death. In one pivotal moment, the child tells him, “I want to go to the desert and have tea.” The scene leads to one of the film’s most striking revelations. While looking through old photographs, Ishan asks about a picture that catches his eye. A younger Ruhan, camera slung over his neck, surrounded by men in khandoura. “Old friends. The only time I ever left the city. I went to Dubai to live. And now I came back here to die,” Ruhan tells him. The film ends with a quiet, poetic twist: Ruhan pins a photograph of himself in the desert, having tea, into the 72nd and final slot, suggesting peace, closure, and life beyond death. Suarez describes the film as a story about connection and renewal. “His solitary life begins to shift when a curious young boy steps into his hidden world, revealing how even in a place shaped by death, a small connection can teach someone how to live again,” he said.

World’s biggest AI film award

The AI Film Award is a flagship highlight of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest gathering focused on the content creation economy. This year’s award drew interest from more than 30,000 creators from 116 countries, underscoring the rapid rise of AI-powered storytelling. A total of 400 hours of film content were reviewed by a committee of 40 specialists, resulting in an initial shortlist of 100 films before narrowing it down to the final 12. Public voting for the shortlisted films runs from December 21 to 25, determining the Top 5 finalists, whose films will be screened during the summit’s fourth edition from January 9 to 11, 2026, across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future. The final winner will be announced on January 11, 2026, under the theme “Content for Good.” Anthony Nakache, Managing Director for Google in the Middle East and North Africa, said the partnership highlights AI’s growing role in creative storytelling. “Submissions from 116 countries highlight the strong global interest among content creators in transforming their creative ideas into impactful films that deliver meaningful community messages,” he said. Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office, noted the artistic depth of this year’s entries. “The strong interest in participating in the award reflects the position of the 1 Billion Followers Summit as a global platform that brings together ambition and innovation,” she said.

The Top 12 finalists: filmmakers and films

Category: Rewrite Tomorrow Heal – Mohamed Gomaa Rizk (Egypt) Set in 2030, a woman who lost her voice uses emotional AI to enter her comatose mother’s memories in a journey of healing. Cats Like Warmth – Lee Su Yeol (South Korea) A robot in a rural village learns that warmth and connection come from the heart, not algorithms. Homeward – Nav Lotay (United Kingdom) After years lost in space, an astronaut returns to Earth’s past to confront regret and seek reconciliation. Roots of Tomorrow – Daniel Titz (Germany) A scientist and her dog search distant planets for a plant that can destroy microplastics—only to find the answer closer to home. Maestra – Hilario Abad (Spain) A veteran musician faces an AI that surpasses her technique, discovering that human experience defines true artistry. Dreams Don’t Die – Omar Rammal (Palestine) A mother shields her child from war through a magical storybook where imagination becomes survival. Category: The Secret Life of Everything The Translator – Philip Lee (USA) A woman deciphers the hidden language of plants to help humanity locate water. Portrait No. 72 – Rodson Verr Suarez (Philippines) An elderly photographer in Varanasi finds renewed purpose through friendship, memory, and a final dream tied to Dubai. Ceremony – Mark Wachholz (Germany) The lone survivor of an erased city reveals disturbing truths about memory and children. The Beginning – Ibraheem Diab (Jordan) A young man travels 3,500 miles in search of safety, discovering hope through compassion. LILY – Zoubeir Jlassi (Tunisia) A haunted archivist confronts guilt and redemption through a mysterious doll. Pursuit of Pearl – Zahir Khan (Canada) A young pearl diver from Dubai survives a near-drowning that reshapes his life after loss. PIA/Expat Media
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