The Dhofar International Film Festival is returning for its second edition from Sept. 6 to 9 in Salalah, Oman, boasting a curated lineup of 32 films representing 16 countries. Organized by the Oman Film Society in strategic partnership with Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and the Dhofar Municipality, the four-day gathering aims to consolidate the Sultanate’s position as a rising cultural and cinematic destination in the Middle East.
Culled from 133 international submissions, the official selection is split across four core competition strands: 13 international narrative films, five Omani narrative shorts, six international documentaries, and eight Omani non-fiction titles. The programming spotlights local talent while fostering cross-cultural dialogue against the scenic, historical backdrop of the Dhofar region.
This year’s documentary lineup includes projects developed through the festival’s “Wathq” documentary lab. The initiative, which held an intensive filmmaking camp in Dhofar last June, yielded five non-fiction projects, three of which secured competitive slots in the official selection. On the industry honors front, the festival will pay tribute to six prominent regional media personalities, including Kuwaiti star Haya Abdul Salam and Egyptian actress-producer Bushra Rozza, as well as Omani film and theater figures Hilal bin Abdullah Al-Araimi, Abdullah Al-Sabbah, Salah bin Sulaiman Bait Obaid, and Salim Al-Amri.
Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) founder Chioma Ude from Nigeria leads the narrative jury, joined by Egyptian director Ahmed Afifi and Omani filmmaker Haytham Sulaiman. The documentary jury is chaired by Omani researcher Ahmed bin Amer Al-Hadhri, alongside Egyptian director Ahmed Mahmoud and Omani filmmaker Eman bint Mohammed Al-Sinani. Complementing the screenings, the festival will host a “Biography & Journey” sidebar hosted by TV personality Amer Al-Amri and a specialized cinematography workshop presented in partnership with Nikon to train emerging Omani filmmakers.
Festivities launch with an opening ceremony at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment, with public screenings taking place at Cinepolis Cinemas in Oasis Mall starting Sept. 7. Visiting festival delegates will also participate in guided field tours showcasing Dhofar’s natural and historical landmarks. The festival concludes on Sept. 9 with an industry panel titled “Adapting Folk Tales into Cinema,” immediately preceding the closing awards presentation.
