Dubai Launches Short Film Competition With Prizes Up to AED 50,000

The Dubai Films and Games Commission has launched ‘Stories of Our Determination’, a national short film competition inviting Emirati and UAE-based filmmakers to submit work centred on unity, resilience and solidarity.

Submissions are open until October 25th, with five categories: Grand Jury Prize, Best Fiction Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animated Film and Best AI Film. Across the competition, 10 awards will be presented, with professional winners receiving AED 50,000 and student winners AED 10,000.

The initiative was launched under the directives of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, and is open to students, emerging filmmakers, first-time entrants and established professionals of all nationalities based in the UAE.

Accepted formats include fiction, documentary, animation, experimental work, AI-generated or AI-assisted films, hybrid formats and mobile-phone filmmaking.

Marking the 55th Eid Al Etihad, organisers will narrow submissions to an official selection of 55 films built around four themes: ‘Those Who Protected Us’, ‘One Nation, Many Communities’, ‘Life Continued’ and ‘Stronger Toward the Future’.

Entries will pass through technical and eligibility checks, an online preliminary selection, review by an independent jury and a final public selection. The competition will conclude with a gala screening of selected films ahead of the awards ceremony.