Submissions
Open for Oman Film Festival

Muscat,
21 Sep 2026 (ONA) — Oman Film Society has announced the opening of
submissions for the 2026 Oman Film Festival, whose events will be held from 28
to 31 December 2026.

The
festival comes within the framework of the Society’s endeavours to support and
develop the Omani cinematic movement, empower national talent and enhance the
presence of Omani expertise across the various fields of filmmaking.

In
its forthcoming edition, the festival comprises three principal competitions:
the short narrative film competition, the short documentary film competition
and the artificial intelligence (AI) film competition, a step reflecting the
festival’s keeping pace with the accelerating developments in the film content
industry and modern technologies.

The
festival’s management has allocated financial and incentive prizes for the
winners of first places and specialised artistic categories, alongside prizes
for each category of the artistic elements, namely directing, screenwriting,
cinematography, editing, musical composition, and male and female acting in the
narrative competition. A prize has also been earmarked for the best promotional
poster in both competitions.

In
the artificial intelligence (AI) film competition, a prize has been allocated
for the best cinematic work executed using artificial intelligence
technologies.

Anwar
Khamis Al Ruzaiqi, Chairman of Oman Film Society, said that Oman Film Festival
aims to encourage the film industry in the Sultanate of Oman and to support
those engaged in the film sector across their various specialisations —
directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, technicians
and other talents who constitute the ecosystem of cinematic work.

He
added that developing the film industry is not confined to supporting film
production alone, but also encompasses supporting and empowering all the
creative and artistic elements that stand behind the success of a cinematic
work.

He
explained that holding the festival this year coincides with the celebration of
World Cinema Day, which lends it an additional dimension, namely honouring
those engaged in the cinematic sector and celebrating their contributions and
achievements in developing the artistic and cultural landscape.

He
noted that dedicating individual prizes for the various artistic
specialisations is a new qualitative feature offered by the Oman Film Society
within the festivals it organises, with the aim of highlighting Omani talent
and expertise across the various fields of filmmaking, stimulating excellence
and professionalism and fostering positive competition among those working in
this promising sector.

Regarding
the organisational regulations for participation, the Society explained that
the competition is reserved for Omani filmmakers, provided that the submitted
works are of recent production and completed during 2025 and 2026, and that the
film’s duration ranges between a minimum of 3 minutes and a maximum of 35
minutes.

It
is also required to attach an English translation for films spoken in Arabic or
any other language, and to submit the final approved version in high quality
(Full HD 1080p) in MOV or MP4 formats via a direct, downloadable electronic
link.

The
festival’s general rules affirmed the necessity for participating works to
adhere to public values and ethics, and to be free of any content promoting
violence, discrimination or hatred, or conflicting with public taste, in
addition to requiring that the film has not been previously screened or
broadcast via television channels, electronic platforms or any public media
outlet, with the participant acknowledging that he or she owns all intellectual
and legal rights pertaining to the submitted work.

Oman
Film Society noted that 1 November 2026 will be the final deadline for
receiving participation requests via the dedicated electronic form, calling
upon Omani filmmakers to avail themselves of this national platform to showcase
their creations and contribute to the growth and development of the film
industry in the Sultanate of Oman.

—
Ends/Khalid