DOHA: The Doha Film Institute (DFI) yesterday announced the recipients of the Spring 2016 session of its grants programme.
Three projects from Qatari directors are among the 26 selected for funding, including four from Lebanon, three from Palestine and two returning recipients.
Two of these new recipients, along with four recipients of funding from previous sessions, will have their world premieres at this year’s Festival de Cannes.
Twenty-six projects from 14 countries — comprising 13 feature-length narrative films, six feature documentaries, three feature experimental or essay films and four short films — will receive funding for development, production or post-production.
The Spring session marks the 12th session of the grants programme, which is dedicated to supporting new cinematic talent, with a focus on first- and second-time filmmakers. Twenty of the projects are from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, and six from the rest of the world. Stories of embezzlement, coming of age, time travel, liberation, physical or spiritual journeys, tales of family life and of life in exile are highlighted in the selections this Spring.
Qatari-based directors Mohammed Al Ibrahim’s Bull Shark; Sara Al Obaidly’s Coming of Age feature narrative project and Abdulla Al Mulla’s short Green Eyes — all received grants this session.
Lebanese projects which have received backing include The President’s Visit by Cyril Aris (Lebanon, Qatar), To the One Who Didn’t Give Me Life by Wassim Geagea (Lebanon, Qatar); Summer of 2015 by Angie Obeid (Lebanon, Qatar); and The Insomnia of a Serial Dreamer by Mohamad Soueid (Lebanon, Qatar).
The three Palestinian projects which are grants recipients this round are: A House in Jerusalem by Muayad Alayan (Palestine, Qatar); Screwdriver by Bassam Jarbawi (Palestine, Qatar); and The Forgotten by Ghada Terawi (Palestine, Qatar). Two of the Spring 2016 recipients are also screening in key sections at this year’s Cannes Film Festival — Dogs (Un Certain Regard section) directed by Bogdan Mirica (Romania, France, Bulgaria, Qatar); and Diamond Island directed by Davy Chou (Cambodia, France, Germany, Qatar) in the Critics Week section.
Co-directors Jasmina Metwaly and Philip Rizk are returning recipients of grants with their new project On Trials, after having been granted in 2013 for their project Out on the Streets. Kasem Khasra is also a second-time recipient of grants for I Dreamt of Empire after his grant for the project Shelter in 2013.
Four other previous recipients selected for screening in official sections at Cannes this year are: Divines (Directors Fortnight section), Apprentice (Un Certain Regard), Mimosas (Critics Week) and Tramontane (Critics Week).
Highlights from this session’s grants include the strong presence of projects from established filmmakers in Mena with four as recipients this session — Headbang Lullaby from Hicham Lasri (Morocco, France, Qatar), The Journey from Mohamed Al Daradji (Iraq, Qatar), Whispering Sands from Nacer Khemir (Tunisia, France, Qatar) and The Insomnia of a Serial Dreamer from Mohamed Soueid (Lebanon, Qatar).
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO, DFI, said: “Our Spring recipients cover a broad range of subjects and represent some powerful new voices in cinema. But we are especially proud of the high quality of Qatari projects represented including four strong projects from established Mena filmmakers. Two of our recipients from this round are selected for screening in official selection in Cannes alongside four older grants projects which I think is testament to the strength of our grants programme, the exciting new filmmakers emerging from our region and beyond, and the high quality of the films we are pleased to be able to support.”
Submissions for the next funding round open on July 14 and closes on July 27. Funding is available for projects by filmmakers from around the world, with an emphasis on support for filmmakers from Mena. Certain categories of funding are reserved for Mena and Qatari filmmakers.
The fund is primarily for first- and second-time filmmakers. Post-production funding is available for established filmmakers from Mena.
The Peninsula
