The Summer That Never Came
Directed by Farah Mamdouh Hamed
United Arab Emirates · 2026 · 2 min 29 sec · Drama
Submitted to OnShow International Film Festival 2026Synopsis
An elderly man living on the streets stops outside a toy shop, where a doll awakens memories of his daughter and the summer holiday they once planned. As warm family moments give way to the devastating fire that took his loved ones, a worn map becomes a reminder of an unfulfilled promise. The Summer That Never Came is an AI-generated animated short about grief, memory and the humanity we overlook when judging strangers.
Director
Farah Mamdouh is an Egyptian art director and emerging filmmaker based in Dubai, with over seven years of experience in graphic design and creative direction. She combines visual storytelling with AI-generated imagery and animation to explore emotionally driven narratives. The Summer That Never Came reflects her interest in memory, loss and compassion, bringing her art direction experience into short filmmaking.
Film stills
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OnShow International Film Festival — Inaugural Edition · 2026