“Future Stars” Student
Film Competition Launched

Muscat, 7 June 2026 (ONA) — The
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, represented by the Cinema and Theatre
Department, today announced the launch of the “Future Stars” Student
Film Competition and opened the door for participation by school students aged
11–17 years.

The first edition of the
competition is held under the theme “My Summer, My Way” and aims to
discover promising cinematic talents among students while encouraging them to express
their ideas and creativity through the production of short films.

Ibrahim Saif Bani Oraba,
Assistant Director General of Arts at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Youth, stated that the launch of the competition is part of the Ministry’s ongoing
efforts to develop creative skills among young people, promote a culture of
visual production and purposeful content creation, and provide students with
opportunities to engage in cinematic experiences that contribute to the
development of their artistic and technical abilities.

He added that this competition is
among the Ministry’s programmes designed to support talent in the cinematic
field, make constructive use of students’ summer vacation, and channel their
energy toward artistic creativity and innovation.

Laura Said Al Siyabi, Head of the
Cinema Section, explained that this first-of-its-kind edition organized by the
Ministry underscores its commitment to supporting emerging talent in the field
of purposeful visual content creation.

She further noted that the
Ministry has allocated five cash prizes for the competition, covering the
categories of Best Creativity, Best Idea, Best Shot, Best Effect, and Best
Execution. These awards are intended to motivate students to produce
outstanding cinematic works and showcase their creative potential.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports
and Youth has stipulated that each submitted film must run between one and
three minutes, and that the work must be filmed and produced by the students
themselves. Participation may be individual or in groups of no more than three
students per team.

The competition also grants
participants the freedom to choose their preferred artistic style—whether
narrative, documentary, fictional, or a compilation of daily snapshots—while
requiring adherence to appropriate content and public decency standards. Each
entry must also include a poster design that captures the film’s core idea and
message.

The Ministry has invited students
wishing to participate to submit their works in accordance with the announced
terms and conditions, emphasizing that the final deadline for receipt of
entries is 1 October 2026. Winning films will be screened during a
dedicated closing ceremony, where winners will be honoured.

— Ends/AH