Dubai Media Council announces the return of Dubai International Film Festival

In the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, along with ministers and Arab and international media thought leaders, the Dubai Media Council today announced the return of the Dubai International Film Festival for its 15th edition.

The announcement was made on the final day of the Arab Media Summit, which concluded today in Dubai. Building on a cinematic legacy that began in Dubai more than two decades ago, the festival will return with a new vision reflecting the evolution of the film industry and Dubai’s growing role in film and creative production. The 15th edition of the festival will open on 8 December 2027.

Announcing the festival’s return, Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, said the 15th edition would carry forward the festival’s legacy while opening a new chapter for cinema in the region.

She recalled that the festival was launched in 2004 with a clear vision of making Dubai a gateway for Arab cinema to the world, bringing together filmmakers and cultures from across the region and beyond. Over 14 editions, it became one of the region’s leading film platforms, creating new opportunities for hundreds of Arab filmmakers and films and helping establish Dubai on the global film map.

Al Marri said the festival was returning not to recreate the past, but to build on its legacy and reflect the changes taking place across the region and the rapid evolution of the film industry. Its first edition in this new chapter will focus on celebrating Middle Eastern cinema and talent, giving the region’s stories and creative voices a platform to reach wider audiences and global markets.

She said the festival would go beyond film screenings to create an industry platform that connects filmmakers with producers, talent with investors, and ideas with markets, while opening the way for new partnerships and projects to emerge from Dubai and reach the world. She noted that as Dubai’s media sector has evolved under the Dubai Media Council, the festival’s return is a natural step in a new phase of developing the city’s film and production sector and building a more competitive and influential creative economy.

Al Marri said the ambition extends beyond organising a successful festival to supporting the development of the film industry, nurturing a new generation of talent and providing a platform for Arab stories to reach global audiences.

The 15th edition will reflect the changing needs and aspirations of filmmakers across the UAE, the Gulf and the wider region, while celebrating the creativity and diversity of Middle Eastern cinema.

The festival will showcase outstanding films and emerging and established creative voices, with a particular focus on stories from the region. Its programmes and initiatives will also bring together filmmakers, producers and industry stakeholders to explore new projects, industry trends and opportunities for collaboration.

Hesham Sultan Al Olama, CEO of the Dubai Films and Games Commission, said the festival would bring fresh momentum to the film industry in Dubai and the wider region, create new opportunities for filmmakers and strengthen the international reach of regional cinema.

He added that the Commission would work closely with partners and the creative community in the UAE, the region and internationally, with further details to be announced in due course.