Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has launched the open call for the Al Marmoom Short-Film Competition, held as part of the fourth Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert festival, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The competition aims to enrich the local film scene, provide an innovative platform to support filmmakers and encourage them to share their experiences and knowledge, inspiring new talent to join this field, WAM said Wednesday.
Dubai Culture invited all emerging filmmakers and creatives locally, regionally, and globally to participate and submit their works for the festival’s competition.
Applications are open from August 14 to September 30, after which a specialized committee comprising a group of experts, directors, and filmmakers will screen the applications and evaluate the submitted films, in preparation for announcing the list competing for the festival awards, which will be held at Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve from January 3 to 12, 2025.
The competition includes four categories: documentaries, animated films, live-action, and films made using artificial intelligence. Eligible works will be selected based on a set of criteria related to quality and content. This open call targets all emerging filmmakers and directors, whether working individually or in groups, WAM said.
Participants are required to present distinctive ideas that express their artistic visions and commitment to innovation, in addition to ensuring that the work is original, recent, and not previously shown in any local, regional, or global festival or event.
The film should be between 3 and 30 minutes long, free from any offence to public morals, religions, or communities, and the participant must own all rights to the short film.
The previous Al Marmoom Short-Film Competition saw 56 short films competing within its three categories.
