Oman to Host Gulf Cinema Festival 2025

The Gulf Cinema Festival 2025 is set to take place in the Sultanate of Muscat from 16–19 November 2025, with the venue being the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in Oman. The event is organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Oman (MCSY) and marks a significant moment for Gulf-region cinema. 

Over the four‐day festival, 26 Gulf films will compete for nine major awards spanning categories such as Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Original Score, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Cinematography.

This robust lineup underscores the festival’s ambition to spotlight regional talent and craft.

According to Sayyid Sayyid Sultan Al Busaidi, Under-secretary of Culture at MCSY, the festival is aligned with Oman’s Cultural Strategy 2021-2040, aiming to bolster the Sultanate’s cultural leadership and promote Gulf-wide cinematic dialogue.

The festival represents part of the Ministry’s efforts to develop the creative industries sector in Oman and to empower youth participation in a Gulf cinema industry that reflects both current realities and future aspirations of Gulf societies. 

It provides a venue in Muscat where Gulf-Arab filmmakers, actors, writers, and media figures will converge, creating opportunities for networking, collaboration, and cultural engagement.

For attendees, the Gulf Cinema Festival promises not just screenings but a chance to engage with the region’s cinematic evolution—exploring short films, feature-length works and documentaries that capture the nuance of Gulf life. With the competition structured across diverse categories, the emphasis is equally on technical craft (cinematography, screenplay, score) and performance (acting, directing).