'Future Stars' student film competition launched

Muscat: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, represented by the Cinema and Theatre Department, today announced the launch of the "Future Stars" Student Film Competition and opened the door for participation by school students aged 11–17 years.

The first edition of the competition is held under the theme "My Summer, My Way" and aims to discover promising cinematic talents among students while encouraging them to express their ideas and creativity through the production of short films.

Ibrahim Saif Bani Oraba, Assistant Director General of Arts at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, stated that the launch of the competition is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to develop creative skills among young people, promote a culture of visual production and purposeful content creation, and provide students with opportunities to engage in cinematic experiences that contribute to the development of their artistic and technical abilities.

He added that this competition is among the Ministry’s programmes designed to support talent in the cinematic field, make constructive use of students’ summer vacation, and channel their energy toward artistic creativity and innovation.

Laura Said Al Siyabi, Head of the Cinema Section, explained that this first-of-its-kind edition organized by the Ministry underscores its commitment to supporting emerging talent in the field of purposeful visual content creation.

She further noted that the Ministry has allocated five cash prizes for the competition, covering the categories of Best Creativity, Best Idea, Best Shot, Best Effect, and Best Execution. These awards are intended to motivate students to produce outstanding cinematic works and showcase their creative potential.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth has stipulated that each submitted film must run between one and three minutes, and that the work must be filmed and produced by the students themselves. Participation may be individual or in groups of no more than three students per team.

The competition also grants participants the freedom to choose their preferred artistic style—whether narrative, documentary, fictional, or a compilation of daily snapshots—while requiring adherence to appropriate content and public decency standards. Each entry must also include a poster design that captures the film’s core idea and message.

The Ministry has invited students wishing to participate to submit their works in accordance with the announced terms and conditions, emphasizing that the final deadline for receipt of entries is 1 October 2026. Winning films will be screened during a dedicated closing ceremony, where winners will be honoured.