Salalah-  The second edition of the Dhofar International Film Festival opened in Salalah on Sunday, bringing together 32 films from 16 countries for its official competition.

Organised by the Oman Film Society (OFS) in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and Dhofar Municipality, the festival runs from September 6 to 9.

The opening ceremony was held at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah under the auspices of HH Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar.

Anwar bin Khamis Al Ruzaiqi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OFS, said the festival aims to support young talent and showcase Oman’s natural, cultural and human resources, which can help position the Sultanate as a promising destination for film production.

The official competition features four categories: the International Narrative Competition, with 13 films; the Omani Narrative Competition, with five films; the International Documentary Competition, with six films; and the Omani Documentary Competition, with eight films.

The festival also places a strong emphasis on training, seeking to develop the skills of young Omani filmmakers and provide opportunities for direct engagement with experts from the film industry.

Its programme includes workshops on cinematography and incorporating folk tales into film production, as well as public screenings and a dialogue session titled “Biography and Career.”