Salalah – A new documentary tracing the centuries-old relationship between Dhofar and frankincense will premiere in the governorate on Sunday, bringing together science, tradition and landscape in a film that explores one of Oman’s most enduring natural treasures.

Produced by Russia Today (RT), Land of Frankincense journeys through southern Oman to document the frankincense tree, the communities that have harvested its resin for generations and the growing scientific interest in its properties.

The film, directed by Karim Naguib with screenplay and script by Anisa Murad, has also been selected for the Dhofar International Film Festival, to be held from September 6 to 9.

Filmed across some of Dhofar’s best-known landscapes, including Wadi Darbat, Taqah and Wadi Dawkah Nature Reserve, the documentary examines the climatic and environmental conditions that support frankincense production.

It also captures Dhofar’s broader plant diversity, from coconut palms to date palms, placing the frankincense tree within the distinctive ecosystem that has shaped the governorate’s identity.

The documentary combines visual storytelling with scientific analysis. Russian researchers featured in the film include Dr Yelena Malankina, an agricultural scientist, and Dr Sergei Stovbon of the Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics.

They discuss the chemical composition of Omani frankincense, including boswellic acids, which have been widely studied for their anti-inflammatory properties, as well as ongoing research into potential medical applications.

The film also turns to the people behind the resin.

Omani frankincense collectors Ahmed Mohammed Ali Jadad Al Kathiri and Ahmed Abdullah Mohammed Jadad Al Kathiri explain traditional harvesting practices in Wadi Dawkah and how knowledge of the trees, tapping methods and collection seasons continues to pass from one generation to the next.

Beyond harvesting, Land of Frankincense documents frankincense as part of everyday Omani culture, from fumigating homes to its use during social and ceremonial occasions.

The film forms part of RT’s documentary work exploring historical, cultural and scientific links between Russia and the Arab world, using on-location filming and expert interviews.

For Dhofar, however, the story is also deeply local –  a tree rooted in its landscape that has shaped trade, livelihoods and cultural memory for centuries.