Muscat – In a move aimed at promoting student cinema and nurturing young Omani filmmakers, the University of Technology and Applied Sciences has launched a new film club at its Muscat campus.

The initiative was officially announced during the launch of UATA Cinema, a student-led cinematic event designed to encourage creativity and provide aspiring filmmakers with a platform to showcase their work.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Fahad bin Ramadan Al Maimani, founder and supervisor of the club, said the initiative reflects the growing interest among students in filmmaking and visual storytelling.

“We established the club on campus on Tuesday with the launch of the UATA Cinema event,” Al Maimani said. “The aim is to promote student cinema and support young talent in filmmaking and visual production.”

The Muscat campus of UTAS has around 13,000 students, with nearly 100 students already registered as members of the newly formed club.

The launch event featured screenings of 14 student-produced films, including documentaries and short narrative productions. Several of the films have already received recognition at local and international film festivals, highlighting the creative potential of Omani youth.

Among the featured productions were Black Liver, directed by Mohammed Al Ghafri, and Strong Men, directed by Waleed Al Kaabi.

Al Maimani said the club aspires to become a dedicated platform for discovering and supporting emerging filmmakers within the university community.

“The club seeks to empower students to transform their ideas into cinematic works capable of competing locally and internationally,” he said.

The club has also outlined ambitious future plans to strengthen student film activity both inside and outside the university. These include launching a student film festival focused on showcasing university productions and hosting filmmakers and industry specialists.

Plans are also underway to organise film competitions and short-film challenges aimed at encouraging innovation, teamwork and practical learning across different stages of film production.

In addition, the club intends to conduct specialised workshops in directing, cinematography, screenwriting, editing, sound engineering and digital content creation.

Regular film screenings and discussion sessions will also be organised to enhance students’ artistic and cultural awareness.

The club further hopes to produce professional student films for participation in regional and international festivals while building partnerships with cultural, cinematic and media institutions within and outside Oman.

“We believe cinema is not just entertainment, but a tool for expression, influence and preserving identity and culture,” Al Maimani said. “Through the club, we aim to create a space where talented students can experiment, collaborate and bring their creative ideas to life.”