The Awards · 2026
Sixteen categories, judged by a jury of actors, producers and filmmakers from Hollywood and the Gulf.
The Golden Dunes Award · 24K gold-plated clapboard
The Award
The Golden Dunes Trophy is a 24-karat gold-plated clapboard mounted on a black base, presented on stage at the awards gala on 29 November at Belcanto, Dubai Opera.
Winners also receive:
Official winners’ laurels for their category
An exclusive screening of the winning films
International media exposure
Networking with producers, distributors and festival guests
Submit your filmThe Categories
From features to sound design, including three categories for AI-made work. Full descriptions, rules and fees live on the Submit page.
The Jury
Actors, producers, writers and executives whose work has been recognised with an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and multiple Emmys.
Actor · Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy
American actor whose five-decade career runs from Beauty and the Beast — a Golden Globe win — to Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy and Pacific Rim. At Golden Dunes he joins the jury and leads a workshop on the festival’s industry day.
Academy Award–nominated actress
Iranian-American actress — an Academy Award nominee for House of Sand and Fog, an Emmy winner for House of Saddam, and the voice of Chrisjen Avasarala in The Expanse. She joins the jury and leads a workshop on the festival’s industry day.
Academy Award–winning actor
American actor who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Jerry Maguire, with a career that runs from Boyz n the Hood and A Few Good Men to Men of Honor, The Butler and The People v. O. J. Simpson. He attended the 2025 festival and returns in 2026 as a member of the jury.
Academy Award–winning producer
American producer with more than 100 film and television credits. Academy Award winner as executive producer of The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, Emmy winner for his writing on El Vacilón, and Tony nominee for Best Musical for Tootsie.
Screenwriter · the Saw franchise
American screenwriter and producer working in horror and thriller. Longtime writing partner of Josh Stolberg on the Saw franchise, including Jigsaw and Spiral: From the Book of Saw.
Group CEO · Speedy Comics Group
Co-founder and Group CEO of the UAE’s Speedy Comics Group — Speedy Comics, PopCon ME and HIT Grading & Authentication. Named CEO of the Year 2025 by CEO Monthly and one of Rolling Stone MENA’s Top 10 Most Influential Entrepreneurs. Founder of the Biz Kidz Initiative and the Rashed Center for People of Determination.
VP of Documentaries · Unanimous Media
Producer and creative executive with more than fifteen years in the industry. Vice President of Documentaries at Unanimous Media, with collaborations across Netflix, Amazon, ESPN and Apple.
Journalist & documentary filmmaker
Globally recognized journalist, documentary filmmaker and geopolitical consultant, with appearances on CNN, Fox News, Newsmax and OANN. Host of The Other View Podcast.
Films are judged on originality, storytelling, technical execution and artistic vision. The jury’s decision is final.
Put your film in front of themThe Team
Film director · founder of AZ Filmz
Festival Director
Film director and founder of AZ Filmz. Director of more than 300 music videos for artists including Snoop Dogg and Enrique Iglesias, and eight feature films — among them Opus of an Angel and Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace with Cuba Gooding Jr., a #1 hit on Amazon Prime in 2024.
Producer · founder of AZ Filmz
Executive Producer
Industry veteran of more than fifteen years. Producer of the U.S. unit of Netflix’s Squid Game Season 3, with credits including The Handmaid’s Tale, Jinn, Jupiter’s Legacy, Cypher and Invitation to a Murder — and a global commercial division spanning Kia, Hyundai, LG, Samsung and Starbucks.
Two-time Emmy winner
Director of Programming · GDFF
Two-time Emmy winner and second-generation Hollywood executive. More than twenty years as a talent manager, with 150+ clients and 300+ projects across television, film and music.
Entrepreneur & investor
Founder & Chairman · 28 Sovereign
Founder and Chairman of 28 Sovereign, with a background in law and finance across international holdings spanning aviation, advisory, finance and the creative industries.
Actor, writer & producer
Second Chance Pictures
Actor, writer and producer working in independent film through Second Chance Pictures, including Pastor Shepherd with Danny Trejo and Mandate, featuring Jon Lovitz, Chris Kattan, Tara Reid and Robert Davi.
The final deadline is 20 October 2026. Selections are announced 12 November.
