NAAS Film Festival 2026

This year, the NAAS Film Festival is dedicated to a theme that connects us all: family.

Under the theme “Family Reel: Celebrating the Year of the Family”, we present a special selection of films that highlight the diversity, strength, and significance of familial relationships. 2026 has been officially declared the Year of the Family by the United Arab Emirates — an initiative that honors the family as the foundation of a strong, compassionate, and united society. It invites everyone who calls the UAE home to celebrate, nurture, and pass on family values to future generations.

About the Festival

The NAAS Film Festival is a collaboration between several international cultural institutions in the UAE. Each year, it brings independent films to the screen that highlight socially relevant themes.

Why “Family Reel”?

Families are places of care, shared values, and community. They shape our identities and strengthen the cohesion of our society. With Family Reel, we aim to make this significance visible — through stories that move, inspire, and connect.

This year’s festival brings together an impressive range of international narratives: from personal journeys of identity in Germany and Italy to touching family portraits from France and Somalia. The films portray people in moments of transition, responsibility, closeness, and new beginnings.

Whether intimate family dramas, intergenerational documentaries, or coming‑of‑age stories — the program reflects the diversity of human experience and invites audiences to discover the world through different cultural and emotional perspectives.

Dates & Venue

The festival will once again take place in cooperation with Manarat Al Saadiyat and will open on 6 May 2026.