Another packed week ahead — new openings, festival vibes, long-awaited premieres. From indie cinema and bold photography shows featuring leading artists, to late-night DJ sets, fresh café launches, a full-on Japan Festival, and the grand opening of the Zayed National Museum — there is a lot happening in the first week of December. Save this calendar and see how much you can squeeze in.

Where? Cinema Akil

From December 2 to December 14, you will have the chance to watch Spring Came On Laughing, a film by Noha Adel, at Cinema Akil.

Spring Came On Laughing unfolds through four stories that all take place in spring — a season that looks cheerful but has a cruel way of bringing buried emotions to the surface.

Each story begins with something ordinary: a lunch, a visit, a salon appointment. But as the conversations begin to flow, things quickly unravel — secrets slip out, tempers rise, and what seemed like casual laughter turns into raw honesty, jealousy, and emotional chaos.

Noha Adel’s debut film is noisy, lively, and full of music — a portrait of women whose everyday moments suddenly crack open, revealing everything they have been holding in.

Where? Ishara Art Foundation, A3, Alserkal Avenue, Street 17, Al Quoz 1

Ishara Art Foundation presents Prix Pictet: Storm, the new edition of the world’s leading photography award focused on sustainability, on view until December 13. This will be the first international presentation of Storm after its premiere at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

The exhibition features works by twelve shortlisted photographers whose projects respond to the theme of “storm” — both as a natural event and as a metaphor for the forces unsettling our world today.

Shortlisted photographers: Takashi Arai, Marina Caneve, Tom Fecht, Balazs Gardi, Roberto Huarcaya, Alfredo Jaar, Belal Khaled, Hannah Modigh, Baudouin Mouanda, Camille Seaman, Laetitia Vançon, Patrizia Zelano.

Their works explore climate devastation, displacement, social unrest, and the fragile sense of hope that emerges in the wake of disruption.

Where? Moon Bar by MiMi, Address Residences Opera District, Downtown Dubai

Moon Bar by MiMi launches Moon Bar Lates, a new late-night happy hour running Wednesday to Saturday, 10 pm–2 am, starting December 4 in the Opera District.

The opening night on Thursday, December 4, features Shef Codes on the decks, setting the tone for Moon Bar’s new late-night ritual. The weekend continues with DJ Miss Rich on Friday, December 5, and DJ Ann EPI on Saturday, December 6, with more local DJs rotating weekly.

Where? Unit 60, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz

A brand-new spot has landed at Alserkal Avenue — Of the Earth — and it looks like one worth trying. It is a coffee and juice bar built on a true farm-to-table mindset, with everything made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. If you love beautifully designed spaces and honest, seasonal food, this place is going to pull you in fast.

Where? Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park, Jameel Arts Centre

For all fans of Japanese culture — this one is for you.

On December 6, 2025, from 1:30 pm to 8:30 pm, the Japan Festival returns to Dubai, and it is completely free to join.

Now in its fourth edition, this year’s theme — “Water and Light – Resonant Culture – Traditions Flow, Futures Shine” — brings together the beauty of tradition and the excitement of cultural exchange.

For the first time, the festival will be hosted at Jameel Arts Centre and the Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park, with a full day of Japanese food, crafts, music, dance, taiko drumming, and plenty more for families and culture lovers alike.

Where? Zayed National Museum, Al Saadiyat Island — Cultural District

For everyone who has been waiting, the Zayed National Museum finally opened on December 3 on Saadiyat Island, and it is huge.

This project has been in the making for over a decade, designed by Foster + Partners, and you can feel the scale the moment you see it: we are sure you have already spotted the five dramatic steel towers shaped like falcon wings.

Inside, the museum tells the story of the UAE across six permanent galleries, from ancient history all the way to the legacy and vision of Sheikh Zayed. Expect archaeological finds, rare manuscripts, heritage objects, and beautifully staged exhibits that make the country’s past and present feel very alive. It is the kind of place you can easily spend hours wandering through.

Tickets are already live, so grab them while they are still available. This opening is one everyone is running to.

The week was full enough with events — give yourself a day to recover.