14 timeless movies return to Dubai this summer, from 'The Gold Rush' to 'Memento'

Dubai: Get ready to escape the Dubai summer heat and immerse yourself in 100 years of cinematic magic. Cinema Akil announces the return of annual 'Summer of Classics' festival. From July 11 to September 25, 2025, at its flagship home in Alserkal Avenue, prepare to rediscover or experience for the very first time 14 landmark films that have shaped generations of movie lovers.

This year's curated selection isn't just a collection of old films; it's a celebration of cinematic milestones, spanning from the enchanting silent wonders of the 1920s to the deeply poetic works of the early 2000s. Each film has been chosen for its enduring power to move, question, and reflect the very essence of the human experience.

As Dubai's summer heat sets in, the festival offers an inviting sanctuary: a cool, air-conditioned escape where you can lose yourself in the timeless allure of the big screen. It’s an annual tradition that's as comforting as it is refreshing. Plus, no movie experience is complete without curated F&B offerings, from freshly popped popcorn to seasonal treats, making it the perfect indoor haven for those long summer days.

The 2025 program kicks off with two monumental silent-era films celebrating their centenary: Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush (1925) and Lon Chaney's The Phantom of the Opera (1925). Witness Chaplin's iconic 'Little Tramp' face hardship with humor and hope, a story that feels surprisingly contemporary even today. Then, delve into the haunting origins of gothic horror with The Phantom of the Opera, an unforgettable visual spectacle with a tender portrayal of an outsider that still resonates profoundly.

Travel to the bustling postcolonial streets of Dakar with Ousmane Sembène's The Money Order (Mandabi) (1968). This powerful film, a sharp critique of bureaucratic systems, holds the historic distinction of being the first ever made in the Wolof language.

Experience the raw turmoil of postwar youth in Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause (1955). James Dean's iconic performance perfectly captures the deep longing for connection, a theme powerfully echoed decades later in Mathieu Kassovitz's La Haine (1995), which shifts the focus to the charged streets of 1990s France. Both films give voice to misunderstood youth confronting systems that fail to hear them.

Many films in this year's selection delve into questions of identity, belonging, and self-expression. Peter Weir's Dead Poets Society (1989) celebrates the power of language, mentorship, and the courage to break free from convention. This spirit of self-expression is beautifully mirrored in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands (1990), the story of a gentle outsider whose uniqueness becomes both a gift and a burden.

The journey of human connection and memory takes center stage with Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004), two deeply personal parts of a trilogy exploring how a single conversation can transform lives. Then, brace yourself for Christopher Nolan's mind-bending Memento (2000), which ingeniously unravels identity through a non-linear timeline.

For Nolan enthusiasts, Batman Begins (2005) offers a darker, introspective study of trauma and transformation that redefined the superhero genre. Meanwhile, epic emotions swell in Mel Gibson's Braveheart (1995).

Find friendship, loyalty, and loss wrapped in humor and melancholy with Wes Anderson's visually distinctive The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). Finally, the season concludes quietly with Christian Petzold's Undine (2020), a mythic meditation on love, water, and fate.

Together, these films form a stunning kaleidoscope of global storytelling – cinema that continues to provoke, console, and inspire.