DUBAI // A Star Wars Imperial stormtrooper wanders disconsolately through an industrial site with the air of someone wishing he was somewhere else.
The scene cuts to the beach next to the Burj Al Arab, where he passes the time hurling a stone into the sea.
Judging from his body language, the force is most definitely not strong in him as he troops alone through an underpass and through well-known locations such as the textile souq, the Metro and the Dubai Aquarium.
Joe Purdy's mournful song Suitcase adds to the sombre mood as the stormtrooper is last seen kicking at sticks in the desert with the Burj Khalifa and the Sheikh Zayed Road skyline in the background.
The image fades and is replaced with the message: "Don't let it pass you by." Finally it becomes clear the stormtrooper is sad because he has missed the Middle East Film & Comic Con.
The 30-second promotional video for the festival, which takes place in Dubai next weekend, was directed by Ali Mostafa, who made the feature film City of Life.
The comic convention promises to be a geeks' delight as sci-fi and superhero fans get together dressed as their idols.
The video has already received more than 2,000 hits since it was loaded last Sunday and has attracted favourable comments on YouTube.
A subscriber called DoCWaSaBe said: "Great job! You can tell from the quality of the clip, the people that made it had a blast with planning and shooting all the scenes!"
Morrocancheese said: "As a fellow host of a Comic Convention I find this to be such a poignant yet comedic ad. Job well done guys."
And QeenDemonDoll said of the forlorn stormtrooper: "He needs a hug!"
The video is reminiscent of a collection of photos by French artist Cedric Delsaux called The Dark Lens - The Dubai Invasion, featuring stormtroopers and other characters from the director George Lucas's Star Wars films across the city.
The photos were commissioned by Elie Domit, the creative partner at Dubai's Empty Quarter gallery, who was not impressed by the Comic Con video.
"You may want to check YouTube and see tonnes of things similar that have been done, I would say, even better," Mr Domit said. "I think if George Lucas saw this he would be mortified."
The comic convention will take place on April 20 and 21 at Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi.
Watch the video at http://tinyurl.com/d78s9wp
