Muscat - Oman

The activities of the second session of the “Dhofar International Film Festival” began on Sunday evening at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah, organized by the Omani Cinema Society and a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and the Municipality of Dhofar, and will continue until September 9, under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar.

32 films in four competitions

The official competition witnesses the participation of 32 qualified films out of 133 works submitted by filmmakers from 29 countries, divided into four main competitions: the International Narrative Competition (13 films), the Omani Narrative Competition (5 films), the International Documentary Competition (6 films), and the Omani Documentary Competition (8 films). The competing films represent 16 Arab and foreign countries, including Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Palestine and Morocco, in addition to Iran, South Korea, Spain, Russia and Portugal.

Honoring stars of art and media
At its opening ceremony, the festival celebrated Mohammed bin Ali Al Nahari, Chairman of the Omani Cultural Thought Council, who was chosen as the “Festival Personality” of the year, in appreciation of his cultural and media contributions. The festival also honored the Egyptian actress and producer Bushra, the Kuwaiti actress Haya Abdel Salam, the Omani journalist Abdullah Al-Sabah, and the Omani artists Hilal Al-Araimi, Salim Al-Omari and Salah Obaid.

Training workshops and technical meetings

The festival's program includes specialized training workshops in cinematography in partnership with Nikon, in addition to a workshop on "Utilizing Folktales in Cinema" presented by storyteller Thamna Al-Jandal, and a dialogue meeting with the artist Bushra entitled "Biography and Journey" moderated by journalist Dr. Ahmed Al Othman. The competitions witness a distinguished presence of the outputs of the “Watheq” documentary filmmaking camp, which the governorate hosted last June.

A promising investment and tourism opportunity
This festival represents a golden opportunity for investors in the cultural and film tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman, as it contributes to promoting the unique natural and cultural components of the Dhofar Governorate, and turns it into a favorite destination for filmmakers and content producers from around the world. The festival is expected to enhance tourism activity in Salalah, especially in the Khareef season, create opportunities for investment in tourism and hotel infrastructure, and support local talent, opening new horizons for cooperation with Arab and international filmmakers.

This cinematic event gains special importance as it is based on the ancient cultural heritage that Dhofar is rich in, bringing to mind historical theaters such as “Al Ahqaf Cinema” and “Oman Cinema”, which adds a heritage dimension that enriches the tourist experience and makes Salalah an integrated destination that combines nature, history and art.