Muscat – Omani short film Al Majhool (The Unknown), directed by Mohammad al Kindi, is making waves in film festivals in Oman and internationally.

The 20-minute film recently bagged the best film award under the category ‘Festival Identity’ at the Al Batinah International Film Festival 2025, and the best short film at the Asian Independent Film Festival in India. It has also been selected for screening at the Baghdad Film Festival and Zambia Short Film Festival. 

Set in 1960s Oman, the film follows the disappearance of a young boy, Moosa, which unsettles a quiet village. Despite days of searching in the dunes and wadis of Al Hamra, Adam and Sur, he remains missing, leaving behind silence, rumours and unanswered questions. The story slowly unfolds to reveal Moosa’s dream of escaping the ordinary, his spirit driven by curiosity and the call of the unknown.

Kindi said the story is rooted in more than mystery. “It’s not just about a disappearance. It is about the search – not only for a missing boy – but for meaning, courage and freedom. Every villager in the story faces his own kind of mystery,” he said.

The film was shot over six days using an Arri camera, with Kindi also handling the editing. The cinematography captures Oman’s unique landscapes and desert light, creating a visual tone that mirrors the isolation and restlessness of Moosa’s world.

“The landscapes of Oman tell half the story,” Kindi said. “The camera became my storyteller – each frame spoke of tradition, isolation and a child’s dream to explore beyond the horizon.”

Reflecting on the local film industry, he said Oman does not need more festivals, but more collaborations and training. “We already have many festivals – government, private and university-level, including the Muscat International Film Festival and Oman Film Society events. What we need now is more cooperation and storytelling from within Oman.”