Festivals, filmmakers and moments from two decades of Omani cinema.
2026
OMAN & BEYONDChinese Film Week brings seven films to Muscat
A programme of seven Chinese films was announced for VOX Cinemas at Mall of Oman from 21–24 October. Organised with the Chinese Embassy, the Society and the China Film Administration, the week connected audiences through contemporary filmmaking under the theme “Stories Across Borders”. Five titles were scheduled to make their Oman premieres.
European and Omani stories meet on screen
The European Film Festival brought screenings to Cinépolis at Oman Avenues Mall from 11–18 October. Its programme included 19 films and nine shorts, with participation from nine EU member states. Alongside the international selection, a local short-film competition recognised picture, storyline and directing, giving Omani filmmakers a place in the shared programme.
First Oman Film Festival announces its competition
The inaugural Oman Film Festival was announced for 28–31 December 2026, with competitions for short fiction, short documentaries and AI filmmaking. The call invited films made in 2025 or 2026 with running times of 3–35 minutes. The announced submission deadline was 1 November 2026, ahead of the festival’s planned December programme.
Dhofar prepares for a second international edition
The second Dhofar International Film Festival was announced for 6–9 September in Salalah. A selection of 32 films from 16 countries was planned for the event. The Society worked with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and Dhofar Municipality on a programme intended to encourage talent and strengthen opportunities for film production.
Shanghai visit builds connections with Asian cinema
A Society delegation attended the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival and its Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance activities. Sulaiman al Khalili and Ahmed al Othman explored cooperation with international film organisations and discussed Oman’s filming locations. The visit also provided opportunities to exchange experience on production and developments in film technology.
2025
OMAN & BEYONDOmani cinema marks a year of international reach
At a World Cinema Day gathering in Airport Heights, the Society reviewed a year of festival participation and training. It reported 34 awards and participation by 30 Omani films in 45 festivals across 23 countries. Its educational programme included 21 workshops involving 740 participants, highlighting the growing connection between skills development and international opportunities.
Young filmmakers explore AI-assisted storytelling
More than 75 young participants explored filmmaking and AI tools through a training programme delivered with the Youth Centre. Activities across Muscat, North Sharqiyah and North Batinah covered script development and visual composition. Guided by trainer Abdulaziz al Abri, participants developed five projects while considering how emerging tools could support their own creative ideas.
Two Omani films join Korea’s Arab Film Festival
Oman took part in the 14th Arab Film Festival in Korea with two films presented through the Society. The festival connected audiences in Seoul, Busan and Gwangju, with an online programme on Naver TV. The participation introduced Korean viewers to Omani stories and added another platform for cultural exchange through Arab cinema.
Sur hosts a practical documentary film camp
The Wathiq documentary camp brought more than 30 participants to Sur through a collaboration between the Society and South Sharqiyah Governorate. Training covered ideas, scripts, camera work, lighting, editing and colour. Field visits to the area’s cultural and natural landmarks helped participants connect practical production skills with stories rooted in their surroundings.
Fund-supported films take centre stage at celebration
An anniversary gathering in Mawaleh highlighted emerging filmmakers through screenings of Illusion, directed by Issa al Subhi, and The Unknown, directed by Mohammed al Kindi. Both productions had received support through the 2024 film fund. The programme offered a public platform for new work and demonstrated how production support can help creative ideas reach the screen.
2024
OMAN & BEYONDDhahirah festival announces an international selection
The Dhahirah International Film Festival was announced for 5–9 December in Ibri. Forty films were selected from 658 submissions, bringing Omani and international work into one programme. Organised by the Society with the Governor’s Office, the event combined screenings and documentary competition with workshops and cultural visits to introduce participants to the region.
Muscat becomes a starting point for new film ideas
The “Muscat Inspires Us” workshop encouraged participants to develop films around the capital’s history, culture and visitor experiences. The Society’s Training and Development Committee brought together practical sessions on photography, sound and editing. A discussion with Mahmoud bin Obaid al Hosni about A Muscat Story connected the technical work with a local filmmaker’s perspective.
Dhofar launches a new international film gathering
The first Dhofar International Film Festival was set to open on 8 September at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex in Salalah. The four-day programme brought Omani and international cinema together with training opportunities for young talent. It also drew attention to Dhofar’s landscapes and the region’s potential as a setting for future productions.
Muscat festival returns with its eleventh edition
The eleventh Muscat International Film Festival was announced for 3–7 March under the theme “Renewed Oman”. The programme brought together local and international films through screenings and competitions. It offered audiences an opportunity to encounter work from different filmmaking traditions while providing a meeting place for Omani talent and visiting cinema professionals.
Ayn festival creates a new platform for short films
Muscat welcomed the first Ayn Short Film Festival, organised by the Ministry of Information’s General Directorate of Electronic Media. The selection included 55 films across narrative, documentary and children’s categories. Alongside screenings at VOX Cinemas in Mall of Oman, workshops addressed writing, directing and production, adding another learning opportunity to the national film calendar.
2023
OMAN & BEYONDWomen and children’s stories lead a second edition
The second International Women and Children’s Film Festival was announced for 4–6 December. Its programme selected 39 films from 85 submissions representing 14 countries. Opening activities at the Society’s headquarters and a documentary workshop accompanied the screenings, creating a space for filmmakers to explore the experiences of women and children through cinema.
A new funding initiative backs emerging filmmakers
A Society production-support initiative reviewed 12 scripts and selected three projects for full funding. The programme aimed to help emerging filmmakers move from written concepts into production, with partial support also under consideration for other work. The announcement marked a practical investment in short films and the development of new Omani voices.
Al Hamra prepares to welcome Dakhliyah festival
The second Dakhliyah International Film Festival was set to begin in Al Hamra on 12 September. Organisers selected 46 films from 155 submissions spanning 21 countries. The festival brought filmmakers together around screenings while drawing attention to the governorate’s cultural heritage and locations, connecting the cinema programme with the character of the host region.
South Batinah camp develops production skills
A film camp in Musannah brought together 28 filmmakers for practical training in screenwriting, cinematography and editing. Delivered by the Society with the Governor’s Office, the programme supported local talent ahead of a planned November festival. Participants worked on the skills needed to turn story ideas into films grounded in the region’s people and places.
Three Omani films reach audiences in Mumbai
Three Omani films were presented at the eleventh Indian film festival in Mumbai through the Society’s participation. The selection explored aspects of Omani heritage, including traditional practices, market life and village experiences. The screenings gave audiences in India an opportunity to discover local stories and extended the international visibility of Omani filmmaking.
2022
OMAN & BEYONDSohar hosts the first Al Batinah film festival
The first Al Batinah International Film Festival brought filmmakers and audiences to Sohar, with activities continuing until 15 November. Thirty-eight films competed in a programme that included the relationship between people and the sea. The event also honoured international cinema figures, placing local themes within a wider exchange of filmmaking experience.
A new short-film festival centres women and children
An international short-film festival focused on women and children was announced for 21–25 December at the Society’s headquarters in Muscat. Led by festival director Laila bint Habib al Hamdoun, the initiative invited attention to these experiences through cinema. The announcement outlined regional jury participation and a dedicated platform for filmmakers working with the festival’s themes.
Omani filmmaker shares production knowledge in Sharjah
Mohammed al Kindi represented the Society in a workshop at the ninth Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth. The session introduced young creatives to the filmmaking process, from story and planning to the work of post-production. It connected practical discussion of scripts, locations and editing with the festival’s wider mission of engaging young audiences.
Dakhliyah festival closes with a celebration of film
The Al Dakhliyah film festival concluded at Nizwa Cultural Centre after presenting a programme of 40 films. Fiction, documentary and animation brought different approaches to storytelling into the selection. Organised with the Governor’s Office, the festival ended with awards and recognition for filmmakers, strengthening the place of cinema within the governorate’s cultural activities.
Cinemana brings screenings and workshops to Muscat
The third Cinemana Arab Film Festival opened in Muscat with a four-day programme involving more than 100 Arab films. Screenings at the Society and Jebel Sifah were complemented by workshops at the Cultural Club. Sessions on scripts, editing, camera work and stunts welcomed Omanis and expatriates, bringing audiences and aspiring filmmakers into the same cultural programme.
2021
OMAN & BEYONDOman joins the virtual Cinemana programme
The Cinemana Arab Film Festival announced an online edition for 27 May, with Omani director Khalid al Zadjali participating. Organisers had received around 131 films across different categories. The virtual format gave filmmakers a way to present their work and connect with festival audiences while travel and public events remained disrupted.
2020
OMAN & BEYONDFilmmakers look ahead to the return of cinema
With cinemas closed during the pandemic, filmmakers and cinema professionals in Oman discussed the future of the big-screen experience. Sulaiman al Khalili and other local voices expressed confidence in its recovery, even as streaming attracted more viewers. Their reflections highlighted both the pressure on the industry and the social value of watching films together.
2019
OMAN & BEYONDZayana brings an Oman–India collaboration to Muscat
Zayana premiered at VOX Cinemas in Muscat Grand Mall during Muscat Festival. Featuring Omani and Indian performers, the film follows an Omani student’s journey to Kerala and the search that follows her disappearance. Arabic and Malayalam dialogue, a shared production team and locations across the two countries gave the project a cross-cultural character.
2018
OMAN & BEYONDOman–India short-film festival invites local creators
The Indian Embassy in Muscat announced a short-film festival with the Society and Kalamandalam for 8–10 August. Open to Omani nationals and Indian residents, the programme encouraged films largely shot in Oman. Screenings at the Society’s theatre and an awards ceremony at the embassy were planned to celebrate collaboration between the two filmmaking communities.
2017
OMAN & BEYONDFilm made in Oman receives a jury award in Estonia
Happiness—Generation of Love, directed by Oman-based filmmaker Thasleem Khan, received a special jury award at Estonia’s Unprecedented Cinema short-film festival. Filmed in Oman with local talent, the story follows a father remembering his son through childhood photographs. The recognition brought an independently made local production to a wider international audience.
2016
OMAN & BEYONDOmani shorts join Malmö’s film industry programme
The Malmö Arab Film Festival’s 2016 market programme included a selection of short films presented by the Society. A presentation by Khalid al Zadjali addressed the development of Omani cinema and the Society’s activities. The gathering offered a setting to introduce local filmmaking to international professionals and discuss opportunities for distribution and exchange.
2015
OMAN & BEYONDEgyptian cinema exhibition opens in Muscat
An exhibition devoted to Egyptian cinema opened at the cinema association’s headquarters in Muscat on 23 September. The event formed part of cultural exchange between Oman and Egypt, with representatives from both countries attending. It brought a focus on cinema heritage into Muscat’s cultural programme and offered another connection between the two countries’ artistic communities.
2014
OMAN & BEYONDEighth Muscat festival prepares an international programme
The eighth Muscat International Film Festival was announced for 23–29 March. Organised by the Society, the programme was set to include shorts, animation and feature films alongside workshops, premieres and visiting cinema personalities. Delegates from more than 60 countries had confirmed their participation, bringing an international dimension to the capital’s film calendar.
2013
OMAN & BEYONDKhalid al Zadjali reflects on building Omani cinema
In an interview about his filmmaking career, Khalid al Zadjali discussed Al Boom and Aseel, two features rooted in the lives of ordinary people. The profile also highlighted the Society’s seminars and training workshops for aspiring filmmakers. It described the practical challenges of production and the sustained effort behind a developing national film culture.
2012
OMAN & BEYONDSeventh Muscat festival brings cinema and music together
The seventh Muscat International Film Festival prepared to welcome performers and filmmakers from Hollywood, Bollywood and the Arab world. The Society’s programme combined film events with music, including a concert by K. J. Yesudas and Vijay Yesudas at Sultan Qaboos University. The edition brought a broad range of cultural experiences into the festival week.
2011
OMAN & BEYONDSeven Omani films selected for Dubai’s Gulf festival
Seven films from Oman were selected for the fourth Gulf Film Festival in Dubai, including five world premieres. The programme featured Spices, The Desert Angels and the Oman–Kuwait production Human Remains. Four student films also joined the competition, giving emerging filmmakers a platform alongside more established regional voices.
2010
OMAN & BEYONDOmani stories enter the Gulf festival’s student selection
The Gulf Film Festival’s student competition included Niqab by Muzna Al Musafir and A Rope Knot by Maryam Mohammed Al-Gheilani, featuring Omani performers. The selection placed their work within a wider programme of young women filmmakers. Personal stories and independent perspectives were central to this showcase of the region’s emerging talent.
2009
OMAN & BEYONDOmani short joins the Gulf Film Festival opening selection
Discover Your Power, by Dawood and Yasir Al Kiyumi, joined the opening selection of the 2009 Gulf Film Festival in Dubai. The Omani short explores the idea that everyone has an ability waiting to be discovered. Its inclusion brought a local perspective into a programme of shorts from across the region.
2008
OMAN & BEYONDMuscat audiences and jury honour Swiss production
Aux frontières de la nuit, directed by Nasser Bakhti, received both Best Debut Film and the Grand Audience Prize at the fifth Muscat Film Festival. Held from 22–29 January, the festival brought international productions to Oman. The two awards recognised the film through both the competition jury and the response of festival audiences.
2007
OMAN & BEYONDMuscat welcomes Shashi Kapoor for a film retrospective
A week-long retrospective in Muscat celebrated Shashi Kapoor through a selection of six films. The visiting actor met audiences and shared memories of his work, while a musical tribute was scheduled for 7 September. The programme connected cinema lovers in Oman with a prominent figure in Indian film and his screen legacy.
2006
OMAN & BEYONDAl Boom premieres at the Muscat Film Festival
Khalid Abdul Rahim al Zadjali’s Al Boom screened at Al Shatti Plaza on the opening night of the Muscat Film Festival. Audiences filled the cinema for the premiere of Oman’s first feature film. The festival coincided with Muscat’s year as Arab Cultural Capital and brought films from around the world to the city.