The Dubai International Film Festival is set to return on December 8, 2027, after a ten-year absence, Mona Al Marri, director general of the Government of Dubai Media Office, announced on the sidelines of the Arab Media Summit. The festival ran for 14 editions between 2004 and 2017, during which its Enjaaz fund helped finance regional productions including Omar and Wadjda, while giving Arab filmmakers a platform to connect with international industry figures. Organisers said the revived edition will place greater emphasis on regional and local talent. Emirati director Nayla Al Khaja described the announcement as unexpected, calling it "like a plot twist." Producer Mohamed F Mostafa said "the global stage is now coming back to us," while filmmaker Majid Al Ansari recalled that the festival "was almost like glue" that brought Emirati voices together. Butheina Kazim said she hoped Dubai could "really shine through a new edition and new voice" for the festival. The announcement has been welcomed across the region's film community, with many seeing the festival's return as a chance to restore Dubai's standing as a hub for Arab cinema after a decade in which the city's film scene grew through smaller festivals and production incentives but lacked a flagship international showcase.