Dubai is getting a new film festival in October

A new celebration of cinema is launching in Dubai later this year.

Meta Film Fest, to be held between October 27 and 29 at Vox Cinemas, Nakheel Mall, comes with an expansive programme including screenings, red carpet premieres and a glittering awards ceremony.

"Due to its location, the festival guarantees one of the most diversified audiences present at any festival, with the legendary glitz and glamour of Dubai to accompany," reads the official website.

Here is what you need to know about Meta Film Fest.

The Films

Co-organised by the Meta Cinema Forum, one of the largest conferences on the regional music industry, the festival aims to present a diverse slate of content from independent regional and UAE productions to Hollywood blockbusters.

Expect a number of actors and actresses to be on hand with select releases featuring red carpet premieres and after parties.

While all festival films will be shown at Vox Cinema in Nakheel Mall, certain titles will also be screened during the festival in seven countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Lebanon.

The competition

Titles screened at Meta Film Fest will be in contention for a range of awards handed out during an official ceremony on October 29.

The festival will honour films across seven categories including Best Arabic Feature Film Award, Best International (Any language) Feature Film Award, Best Animation Film, Award Best Documentary Film Award, Best Short Film Award and Best Student/Youth Film Award.

The Film Development Fund category will invite regional directors to submit ideas for a full length feature and documentary. The winning entry from each genre will have its production costs covered and the completed works screened at future Meta Film Fest editions.

Making those decisions will be a jury headed by Emirati filmmaker and poet Nujoom Alghanem.

How to submit your film?

Meta Film Fest is currently accepting film submissions on its website, with a selection committee deciding which titles make the final cut.

Terms and conditions include feature films being up to 120 minutes long, short films capped at 50 minutes and documentaries up to 10 minutes.

All submitted films must have been completed within 12-months of the festival date.

More information is available at metafilmfestival.me

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Other workplace saving schemes

The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions