Dubai will host the Middle East premiere of Pole to Pole with Will Smith this January, with the global star attending a red-carpet screening at SEE Institute in The Sustainable City Dubai, a location chosen as much for its message as its setting.
The seven-part National Geographic docuseries, five years in the making, follows Will Smith on an extraordinary journey across all seven continents, from Antarctica’s ice fields to the Amazon rainforest, the Himalayas, African deserts, Pacific islands and the Arctic.
The series premieres on National Geographic on January 13, airs on National Geographic Abu Dhabi on January 14, and streams exclusively on Disney+ from January 14.
The Dubai premiere, taking place on January 9, will include a private screening followed by a live Q&A with Smith and members of the scientific and exploration teams behind the series.
Hosting the event at The Sustainable City Dubai underscores the project’s central themes: environmental stewardship, resilience and the urgent need to rethink humanity’s relationship with the planet.
Pole to Pole
Over a 100-day expedition, Smith pushes himself physically and mentally, skiing to the South Pole, diving beneath Arctic ice and venturing into some of the world’s most extreme environments. But Pole to Pole is as much about people as it is about place.
‘This journey was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. There  were moments when I was genuinely shook and wondered if I was going to make it home’
Will Smith, Actor
Guided by scientists, explorers and local communities, the series uncovers new scientific insights while highlighting the knowledge and resilience of those living at the planet’s edges — from Indigenous groups in the Amazon to desert communities in Africa.
‘This journey was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. There  were moments when I was genuinely shook and wondered if I was going to make it home.  But it became far more than a physical adventure. It’s an exploration of our planet’s outer edges and of the remarkable people who call those places home,’ said Smith.
‘From scuba diving beneath the coldest ice into the deepest jungles, the swirl of danger and beauty inspired every step I took, filling me with awe, humility, and hope.’
National Geographic’s trademark cinematic scale is matched by a strong scientific backbone, with the series blending environmental storytelling, exploration and research. The result is a global narrative shaped by endurance, curiosity and hope at a time when the planet’s ecosystems face unprecedented pressure.
The City Behind the Message
That message is reflected in the choice of venue. The Sustainable City Dubai is widely recognised as a leading model for sustainable urban living, designed around renewable energy, biodiversity protection, circular economy principles and community wellbeing.
Built as a live demonstration of what low-impact, future-ready cities can look like, the development has become a reference point for sustainable planning both in the region and beyond.
Hosting the premiere there, organisers say, reflects a shared belief in the power of storytelling to drive real-world change. As Faris Saeed, CEO of SEE Holding, notes: ‘Pole to Pole is a powerful reminder that the future of our planet depends on the choices we make today. We have spent years in The Sustainable City proving that sustainability is not a single solution, but a way of life that integrates environmental responsibility, social wellbeing and economic resilience into a single living model.
‘Hosting the Middle East premier of Pole to Pole at The Sustainable City reflects a shared belief that storytelling can inspire real change. This series powerfully connects science, human resilience, and environmental responsibility, values which are embedded in everything we do.’
Pole to Pole with Will Smith premieres on National Geographic on January 13 at 8:00pm (UAE), and on National Geographic Abu Dhabi on January 14 at 9:00pm (UAE), available on du and Etisalat. It will stream exclusively on Disney+ on January 14.
The series is produced by Westbrook Studios, Nutopia and Protozoa for National Geographic. Will Smith serves as host and executive producer.
