Stills from Al-Johara
The prestigious 2017 Cannes Film Festival will witness a true celebration of Qatari cinema and talent with the screening of ten ‘Made in Qatar’ films.
The Doha Film Institute (DFI) shines the spotlight on Qatar’s emerging talents with a special Market screening of ‘Made in Qatar’ films on May 24 at the festival, in addition to its annual presentation of the dedicated programme at the Short Film Corner from May 17 to 28.
This year marks one of the most significant showcases of works by the country’s filmmakers with six films included in the Market screening and 10 titles at the Short Film Corner. Further, the Institute is also hosting two emerging filmmakers from the country – Rawda Al Thani and Hend Fakhroo – as part of the DFI delegation attending the world’s leading film event, to participate in a series of workshops, meetings, advisory sessions and events designed to further their filmmaking careers.
Fatma Al Remaihi, Chief Executive Officer of DFI, said: “We are proud to represent Qatar at this important platform and showcase the creativity that exists in our country at this ultimate gathering of the world’s film industry. Our first Market screening of films by Qatari talents, will put the spotlight on new voices from our nation and is a great opportunity to take our stories to international audiences at Cannes, and build a true global outreach.
“In addition, our young Qatari directors will have an opportunity to connect with their peers from the global entertainment industry and learn from some of the world’s most prominent film experts. The networking sessions and the screenings at Cannes will help them gain insights into the newest trends in filmmaking, which they can apply in their creative pursuits and add to the pride of Arab cinema,” said Al-Remaihi.
The Market screening of ‘Made in Qatar’ films includes Al-Johara directed by Nora Al-Subai, Amer: An Arabian Legend by Jassim Al-Rumaihi, Kashta by AJ Al Thani, Makh'bz by Aisha R. Al Muhannadi, Smicha by Amal Al Muftah, and Red by Kholoud Al-Ali.
Marking the Institute’s seventh year of participation at the Cannes Short Film Corner, dedicated to showcasing films from more than 90 countries, DFI will screen 10 titles as part of the 2017 ‘Made in Qatar’ programme including the six titles from the Market screening.
