Oman bets on cinema as cultural bridge to the world, says filmmaker

MUSCAT – Omani filmmaker Anwar bin Khamis al Ruzeiqi believes cinema in the Sultanate is evolving far beyond entertainment into a powerful intellectual and cultural platform capable of reshaping how Oman tells its story to the world.

Speaking to the Oman News Agency, the vice president and director of the Support and Production Fund at the Oman Film Society (OFS) described cinema as “a way of thinking,”  a space where awareness meets imagination and where society can be examined through fresh and unconventional perspectives.

Ruzeiqi said recent initiatives and training programmes organised by the OFS have revealed a marked transformation in how young Omanis view filmmaking, with increasing numbers seeking to express their identities, ambitions and social realities through visual storytelling.

He pointed in particular to the “Wathaq” documentary filmmaking camp, which he said helped cement the idea that documentaries are not merely recordings of reality, but explorations of the human and geographical stories embedded across Oman.

According to Ruzeiqi, local film competitions and workshops have also uncovered a new generation of filmmakers equipped with a modern cinematic language and a deeper creative awareness, helping energise Oman’s cultural scene with young voices unafraid to tackle ideas boldly.

“This movement gives young Omanis confidence that their stories deserve to reach the screen,” he said, adding that it allows them to play a central role in shaping the country’s evolving cinematic identity in line with global artistic developments.

The filmmaker argued that artificial intelligence is becoming an important companion in this transformation, calling it an “inspiring friend” that helps directors expand their visual horizons while simplifying technically demanding processes.

But he stressed that technology remains a tool rather than a substitute for human creativity.

“The human being remains the foundation of the creative process,” he said, explaining that AI can help directors imagine scenes before they are filmed, refine pacing and artistic rhythm, and build integrated visual concepts before production begins, all while preserving Omani authenticity and cultural identity.

Ruzeiqi rejected the notion that AI threatens creative professions, saying instead that it allows Omani filmmakers to keep pace with rapid technological change while maintaining a distinctly local spirit rooted in the country’s cultural heritage.

He said Oman’s film movement had undergone a significant qualitative shift in recent years, moving from isolated personal initiatives to more structured institutional work supported by workshops, training programmes and long-term development plans.

That transition, he argued, is gradually turning filmmaking into a sustainable economic sector capable of attracting national talent and building a professional industry.

Specialised workshops in scriptwriting, directing, cinematography and editing have created what he described as a genuine educational environment, enabling young Omanis to develop their technical skills through scientific and methodical approaches.

Film festivals, open screenings and exchanges with Arab and international experts have meanwhile broadened cinematic awareness and opened space for experimentation and dialogue, while participation in international festivals has exposed Omani filmmakers to global schools of cinema and enriched the local creative scene.

Ruzeiqi said the production challenges facing Oman’s film industry should be viewed as opportunities for innovation and for developing what he called a uniquely “Omani visual language.”

He argued that the country’s environmental and cultural particularities could become a competitive advantage capable of distinguishing Omani films on the international festival circuit.

The OFS is currently working on regulatory frameworks aimed at organising the sector, streamlining production procedures, facilitating filming permits and supporting a sustainable filmmaking ecosystem.

At the same time, the OFS is continuing to promote its “Make Your Film in Oman” initiative, designed to attract international production companies to shoot in the Sultanate.

The project has already been presented at major international events including Expo 2020 Dubai, Expo 2025 Osaka, the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Australia Film Festival and the Auteur Cinema Festival in Rabat, alongside promotional campaigns in Hungary.

Ruzeiqi said Oman possesses exceptional geographical and historical assets that could position it as a leading global destination for film and television production.

The country’s dramatic landscapes, from mountains and deserts to coastlines, heritage villages and modern cities, allow filmmakers to shoot historical and contemporary productions within relatively short distances and at lower costs than many competing destinations.

That affordability, combined with high-quality locations, is increasingly attractive to international production companies seeking visually rich environments without excessive budgets, he said.

Ruzeiqi also called for greater co-productions between Omani filmmakers and Arab and international studios, saying such partnerships would help transfer expertise, create professional opportunities for local talent and raise the quality of Omani productions to internationally competitive levels.

For him, however, Oman’s greatest cinematic strength lies not only in its landscapes but in its social fabric.

He said Omani traditions, hospitality and strong social bonds provide films with emotional depth, while the blending of physical heritage, forts, old houses and traditional markets, with oral storytelling and folk arts creates a powerful and authentic visual identity.

Cinema, he said, can become the clearest mirror of Oman’s civilisational and social maturity, projecting values of peace, humility and coexistence that have long defined Omani society.

Transforming such values into cinematic stories and dialogue allows filmmakers to present a civilisation that exists not only in monuments and architecture, but in human behaviour itself, he said.

Stories rooted in cooperation, family bonds and mutual respect resonate globally because they are built on universal human values, he added.

Ruzeiqi believes portraying the Omani character through qualities such as wisdom, patience and generosity gives local cinema rich dramatic material capable of producing stories that are local in form yet universal in emotional impact.

He stressed that turning film production into a genuine and sustainable industry would require a professional and institutional approach capable of moving filmmakers from amateur experimentation to full professionalism.

Reaching major international film festivals, he said, depends on rigorous standards across every stage of production, from screenplay quality and location management to editing and marketing.

“With training, laboratories, institutional work, international participation and serious production projects, young people begin to realise that cinema is not a distant dream,” he said. “It is a practical path through which they can produce work capable of competing internationally.”

Ruzeiqi concluded by describing cinema as one of Oman’s most effective forms of soft power, capable of presenting an authentic image of the country to global audiences without relying on direct political messaging.

Over the past 25 years, since the establishment of the OFS and the launch of the Muscat International Film Festival, Omani cinema has gradually built an international presence, he said.

That cumulative effort has enabled Omani films to reach audiences across different continents and introduced foreign viewers to the Sultanate through the screen.

By strengthening its cinematic presence abroad, Oman can reinforce its image as a country defined by social and cultural stability, Ruzeiqi added, arguing that cinema remains one of the quietest yet most effective diplomatic and cultural tools because of the speed and emotional depth with which it reaches audiences worldwide.