Dubai International Film Festival to return in 2027

The Dubai International Film Festival will return on December 8, 2027, with the first edition focusing on movies and filmmakers from the Middle East.

The announcement was made at the Arab Media Summit by Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and President of the Dubai Press Club.

The Dubai International Film Festival was launched 22 years ago in 2004 with "a clear vision to make Dubai a gateway to Arab cinema around the world," Al Marri highlighted, adding that "over the course of 14 years, the festival became one of the most prominent cinemas in the region and opened new doors to hundreds of talents and Arab works, putting Dubai and the UAE on the map of the world's cinema industry".

Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and President of the Dubai Press Club announces the return of the Dubai International Film Festival under the umbrella of the Dubai Films and Games Commission, part of the Dubai… pic.twitter.com/rnD18luHU0

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 17, 2026