Muscat – Oman Film Society has opened entries for the inaugural Oman Film Festival 2026, with the four-day event set to showcase Omani filmmaking talent across fiction, documentary and artificial intelligence-generated cinema.

The festival will be held from December 28 to 31 as part of the society’s efforts to develop Oman’s film industry, support national talent and strengthen the presence of Omani filmmakers across different areas of production.

The first edition will feature three competitions: short fiction film, short documentary film and AI film.

The inclusion of an AI film category reflects the growing use of emerging technologies in film production and content creation.

The festival will offer financial incentives for winners, along with awards recognising individual creative disciplines. In the fiction competition, awards will be presented for direction, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, music composition, and male and female acting.

Prizes will also be awarded for the best promotional poster in the fiction and documentary competitions, while the AI category will feature an award for the best film produced using AI techniques.

Anwar bin Khamis Al Ruzaiqi, President of Oman Film Society, said the festival aims to encourage the film industry in Oman and support professionals working across the sector.

The support, he said, extends beyond directors and producers to writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, technicians and other creative professionals involved in filmmaking.

“Developing the film industry is not limited to supporting film production, but also includes supporting and empowering all the creative and artistic elements that stand behind the success of a film,” Al Ruzaiqi said.

He said the festival’s timing, coinciding with International Cinema Day, would add another dimension to the event by recognising the contribution of film professionals to Oman’s cultural and artistic landscape.

The decision to introduce individual awards for different filmmaking disciplines is also aimed at highlighting Omani expertise, encouraging professionalism and creating greater competition among practitioners, he added.

Participation is open to Omani filmmakers, with submitted films required to have been produced and completed in 2025 or 2026.

Films must have a running time of between three and 35 minutes. Entries in Arabic or other languages must include English subtitles.

Applicants must submit the final approved version of their film in Full HD 1080p quality in either MOV or MP4 format through a direct, downloadable electronic link.

Films must also be new works that have not previously been screened or broadcast on television, electronic platforms or other public media outlets. Entrants must confirm that they hold all intellectual property and legal rights to their submissions.

The deadline for applications is November 1, 2026.