Abu Dhabi, 29 September 2026: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has announced the return of the Al Sidr Environmental Film Festival for its fifth edition, taking place from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October 2026 at the Blue Hall at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).
The festival’s theme this year, Mend (رَمِّم), draws on the Arabic verb associated with carefully restoring something of value. Applied to the environment, it highlights the practical work of restoration, including habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, water stewardship, repairing degraded land and transferring ecological knowledge between generations.
This year’s international programme is led by the Gulf premiere of Werner Herzog’s Ghost Elephants, a National Geographic Documentary Films production first shown at the Venice International Film Festival; the Björk-narrated Fungi: Web of Life; the restored 4K version of Manthan; and recent premieres from the 2026 Berlinale and Sundance film festivals.
At the centre of the UAE programme is the premiere of Conservation Diaries, a five-part documentary series produced by Connect with Nature, the youth environmental movement founded by Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) with Emirates Nature–WWF. Filmed across the country’s wadis, coastlines, mangrove forests and rural communities, the series follows scientists, volunteers and local custodians involved in conservation efforts. Emirates Nature–WWF will also provide speakers for the festival programme.
Hosted by NYUAD and in collaboration with EAD, the festival is open to the public and will feature three days of international documentaries, fiction, animation and short films, alongside panel discussions, exhibitions and environmental activities.
Ahmed Baharoon, Executive Director of the Environmental Information, Science and Outreach Management Sector at EAD, said: “Environmental restoration requires knowledge, long-term commitment and cooperation across every part of society. Al Sidr creates an important space for audiences to engage with these ideas through film and to see how environmental challenges are connected to the choices and actions that shape our shared future. By bringing international perspectives into conversation with conservation efforts in the UAE, the festival supports a deeper understanding of what it takes to protect nature and help ecosystems recover.”
Dr Nezar Andary, Artistic Director of the Al Sidr Environmental Film Festival, said: “The 2026 theme ‘Mend’ informed every aspect of this year’s selection. We looked for films that move beyond documenting environmental damage and bring audiences closer to the people, knowledge and relationships involved in repair. Across different forms and perspectives, the programme offers audiences of all ages meaningful ways to engage with the subject.”
Sara Dosa is among this year's featured filmmakers and will lead a masterclass alongside screenings of two of her films. These include Fire of Love (United States and Canada, 2022), the Academy Award-nominated story of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, and Time and Water (Iceland and United States, 2026), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2026.
The programme will also include Chuuraa (Evgenia Arbugaeva, United Kingdom, 2026), which had its world premiere at Berlinale Shorts 2026, as well as a family programme featuring environmental animation and conversations examining food systems, land, water and restoration.
Since its launch in 2020, Al Sidr has welcomed more than 5,000 attendees and engaged 2,000 students from more than 20 schools across Abu Dhabi.