It’s all in a week’s work for the Doha Film Institute, the greatest cinematic organization in the MENA region.
I won’t lie, or ever hide it. I hold a special place in my heart for the Doha Film Institute and always have. Since its establishment in 2010 by H.E. Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the DFI has been supporting the growth of the Qatari film community and to provide funding and international networking opportunities to creators from around the world. And that means great cinema for all.
To date, the projects supported by the DFI have, year after year, made up my cinematic dreams and their staff’s warmth, enthusiasm and creativity continue to fuel my work. If you’re wondering, I feel proud that for the past three editions, even for the online one during the pandemic year in 2021, the DFI powers that be have tapped me to moderate chats and/or mentor their Qumra supported projects in press etiquette. I’ve also sat in quiet pride when one of their top executives has called out my name in front of other journalists, during a press meet in Qatar to say “Nina is part of our family and she can tell you, once you become part of the DFI family, you never leave.” These are the kind of moments that make one’s struggle, a daily uphill battle for this journalist to have their voice heard, all worth it.
“People are lucky in our Region to have somebody of his calibre working with them.”
This year in Cannes, six DFI-supported films were in the various lineups. In the Cannes Premiere program, a couture, intimate curation made up of works by great auteurs and important new voices, Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot (‘Meeting with Pol Pot’, a Cambodia, France, Taiwan, Qatar, Turkiye co-production) by critically acclaimed filmmaker and Un Certain Regard Grand Prix Winner Rithy Panh. The frequent DFI collaborator and mentor extraordinaire for their workshops and Qumra sessions drew from his moving personal experiences to revive unrecorded memories of his native Cambodia. Starring Iréne Jacob, Grégoire Colin and Cyril Gueï the film is a haunting reenactment of a terrifying moment in history, which points to the importance of war correspondents and the work they do to spread information and destroy nationalistic propaganda. It was a goosebump moment for me to see the DFI delegation join the filmmaker and other producers at the film’s world premiere inside the Debussy.
A still from Rithy Panh’s ‘Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot’ which screened in the Cannes Premiere program
Cinema really does have the power to unite the world and if only we followed the auteurs’ lead, we would be better off as a human race.
The other titles included three projects in Cannes’ Critics’ Week, from Egypt The Brink of Dreams by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir; from Taiwanese filmmaker KEFF his feature debut Locust, and from Morocco, Across the Sea by Saïd Hamich Benlarbi in the sidebar’s Séance Speciale. The latter two were also part of my mentorship group at this year’s Qumra, and I feel like a proud mother that they were selected to premiere in Cannes!
In the Director’s Fortnight, two more DFI supported films saw their world premiere. The Egyptian film East of Noon by Hala Elkoussy, and by Mahdi Fleifel, To a Land Unknown. The latter, I believe the only film from Palestine in Cannes this year, as part of the program.
“We are particularly excited of the notable presence of female talent, who represent the bold new energy of filmmaking in the Arab world.”
While talking to select members of the press, the team in Cannes also announced the next wave of grants for the Spring of 2024. You’ll find that list at the bottom of this dispatch, but just to give you a bit of a hint, the titles include Tunisian filmmaker, and Cannes alumni Erige Sehiri’s latest Marie and Jolie, Joyce A. Nashawati’s follow up to her 2015 Blind Sun, this one called Sound of Silence, Venice alumni Ameer Fakher Eldin’s haunting sounding Yunan, and Agora, by Tunisian helmer Ala Eddine Slim.
When I sit with the DFI team, inside a secret room in the historic Carlton hotel, I ask about Rithy Panh and his touching film, which I watched the night before. “People are lucky in our Region to have somebody of his calibre working with them,” says Elia Suleiman, DFI’s Artistic Advisor about Panh, as I inquire about the Cambodian director’s involvement with MENA filmmakers, an effort that has clearly changed the landscape of documentaries from the Region. “It’s not so common to have a world filmmaker being this kind of hands-on with filmmakers,” Suleiman continues. I point out they have two, as he is also a cinematic power figure and someone whose vision has definitely changed my way of viewing cinema. “I don’t think I work as hard, and as hands-on as he does,” with filmmakers, the Palestinian Maestro admits candidly. Nevertheless, Suleiman’s work at the DFI is unparalleled and his sense of humor always welcomed.
Hanaa Issa, Director of Film Funding & Programmes, Strategy & Development, as well as Qumra Deputy Director at the DFI, adds, “he is extremely dedicated, beyond any human capacity — you and I would not be able to dedicate so much to anybody,” speaking about Panh. His generosity is encouraging a new wave of world filmmakers who will be making their own kinds of masterpieces inspired by him. “I think it’s therapeutic for him,” Issa continues, “it brings a bigger meaning and sense to his life.” To which Suleiman agrees wholeheartedly.
Famous last words belong to Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, as she talks about the Grantees just announced in this new Spring 2024 cycle. “The founding objective of our Grants program is to build a new collective of authentic voices who bring diversity and depth to the medium of cinema and encourage cross-cultural exchange and dialogue,” she says, continuing, “our aim is to identify new talent, amplify globally resonant stories and develop a robust ecosystem that nurtures powerful and moving storytelling to help emerging filmmakers realise their creative aspirations.”
She then adds, “we are proud to present a new slate of captivating projects from across the region and beyond chosen for their innovative filmmaking techniques, reiterating our commitment to nurturing original and independent voices in world cinema,” concluding, “we are particularly excited of the notable presence of female talent, who represent the bold new energy of filmmaking in the Arab world.”
The full list of 2024 Spring Grants recipients are below:
MENA – Feature Narrative – Development
Al-Dana (Qatar) by Nora Al-Subai tells the story of a woman in a man's world who embarks on a Pearl Diving adventure to reclaim her freedom, find the famous black pearl, and heal old wounds.
Running With Beasts (Lebanon, Czech Republic, Qatar) by Leila Basma. Amid Lebanon's economic collapse, five friends come up with a risky secret plan to chase their dreams, confronting the unexpected costs of growing up.
MENA – Feature Narrative – Production
Marie and Jolie (Tunisia, France, Qatar) by Erige Sehiri is the tale of three Ivorian women who rescue a child from the desert to form a complex blended family amidst a country in crisis.
Sound of Silence (Lebanon, France, Greece, UK, Qatar) by Joyce A. Nashawati. Set in 1972, when Greece was under military rule, Alice and Cristina, caught in a police raid on their hippie camp, seek refuge in a monastery, only to discover it harbours a deadly cult led by a ruthless Abbess.
MENA – Feature Narrative – Post-Production
To a Land Unknown (Palestine, UK, Greece, Netherlands, France, Germany, Qatar) by Mahdi Fleifel tells the story of the desperate attempts of two Palestinian cousins stranded in Athens to find a way out of their hopeless environment before it is too late.
Yunan (Syria, Germany, Canada, Italy, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) by Ameer Fakher Eldin. Haunted by vivid dreams and tormented by inner demons, an Arab author embarks on a journey to a remote German island driven by a desire to end his life.
The Settlement (Egypt, France, Germany, Qatar) by Mohamed Rashad tells the story of a factory worker, Sayed el-Deeb, who dies on the job in present-day Alexandria. When his two sons became labourers in the same factory, the workers become suspicious that they are there to avenge his death.
Nomadish (Morocco, Hungary, Qatar) by Yassine Marco Marroccu. In Casablanca, 1961, Edoardo embarks on a covert and illegal mission to rescue a wrecked ship on the shores of the Atlantic.
Agora (Tunisia, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) by Ala Eddine Slim. In a faraway town, missing people return under inexplicable circumstances—when an investigation is launched, things get complicated.
Non-MENA – Feature Narrative – Post-Production
A still from ‘Żejtune’, by Alex Camilleri, a feature narrative from Malta in post-production
Żejtune (Malta, Germany, Qatar) by Alex Camilleri. Mar is determined to claim her family inheritance and leave the small island of Malta behind for good. But an encounter with Nenu, an elderly troubadour, tempts her to rediscover the country she aims to escape.
The Botanist (China, Qatar) by Jing Yi is set in the village valleys of northern Xinjiang, where a Kazakh boy obsessed with plants gradually dwells into the dreamy fable of botany as he reminisces about the time that has passed.
Another Birth (Tajikistan, USA, Germany, Qatar) by Isabelle Kalandar. Eight-year-old Parastu sets out on an imaginative-driven quest to find her long-lost father to save her beloved and grief-stricken grandfather from dying of longing for his absent son.
Horizon (Colombia, France, Luxembourg, Chili, Qatar) by César Augusto Acevedo. Separated in life due to violence, Basilio and his mother Inés understand that their reunion is only because they are now dead. They decide to set out in search of the father through a landscape completely devastated by war.
Tale Of The Land (Indonesia, The Philippines, Qatar) by Loeloe Hendra follows a victim of land conflict as she tries to get her life back on a floating house in the middle of the water.
The Fin (South Korea, Germany, Qatar) by Syeyoung Park. In a reunified Korea devastated by an ecological catastrophe, an oppressed mutant Omega fights to fulfill a dying wish, whilst an ardent government worker begins to doubt the state’s ideologies.
MENA – Feature Documentary – Experimental/Essay – Development
Flying Elephants (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Mona Khaouli is a documentary about 64-year-old Lebanese musician, Munir Khauli, whose niece reveals a singular character and a unique, quirky vision of Lebanon through his music.
Just Like a Dream (Lebanon, Qatar) by Corine Shawi explores how the Beirut port explosion and the everlasting political turmoil have shaped Lebanon’s collective psyche.
Road Trip (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Linda Qibaa follows Linda, who reunites with her father Khammar in his car garage after 30 years apart. Together, they set off for Morocco, the family's country of origin, via Spain—where Khammar had been imprisoned.
Speak Image, Speak (Palestine, Germany, Qatar) by Pary El-Qalqili, sets out to narrate a disobedient cinematic counter-memory of Palestinian history in Germany.
MENA – Feature Documentary – Production
Flower of the Sands (Morocco, Qatar) by Jaouad Babili follows a woman who runs a café in a fishing village—challenging circumstances in a predominantly male-dominated environment.
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria, France, Germany, Qatar) by Sabrina Chebbi investigates what might happen if trauma is passed on silently from generation to generation.
MENA – Feature Documentary – Post-Production
She Was Not Alone (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, USA, Qatar) by Hussein Al-Asadi chronicles the life of Fatima, a resilient nomadic woman in the disappearing Iraqi marshes amidst the threats of climate change.
Those Who Watch Over (Morocco, Belgium, Qatar) by Karima Saidi explores how Muslims, Jews, Orthodox and outsiders are buried together in a unique place where care is taken to respect plurality, both for the dead and the living.
Ground Zero (Palestine, Qatar) a collective shorts project with 20 directors from Gaza preserves the scarcely heard voices, experiences and memories of artistic talents from the Gaza Strip.
Moondove (Lebanon, Netherlands, Qatar) by Karim Kassem, moves between three stories in a village in Lebanon, exploring inner worlds and psychological landscapes, as the phases of the moon cycle on.
Non-MENA – Feature Documentary – Post-Production
Cutting Through Rocks (Iran, Germany, Qatar) by Sara Khaki and Mohammad Reza Eyni is a feature-length documentary in production and is expected to be finished in 2024.
Requiem for a Tribe (Iran, Spain, Qatar) by Marjan Khosravi documents the life of Hajar, a 55-year-old Bahktiari grandma who is betrayed by her family and forced to abandon her nomadic lifestyle.
MENA – TV Series – Development
Badr on the Moon (Qatar, Jordan) by Aisha Al-Jaidah and Kholoud Al Ali is about a boy and his robot sidekick who live on the lunar surface and learn all about recycling, energy saving, new technology, and more.
Last Words (Lebanon, Canada, Qatar) by Antoine Waked, depicts a woman with newfound powers to hear the final thoughts of the dead who must use them to survive and protect her immigrant community in Canada from a killer.
Palmyra (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Carol Mezher and Gabriela Flores. Upon the brutal murder of Palmyra’s head of antiquities, three women are reunited as the sole inheritors of precious artefacts he smuggled from the ancient Syrian city.
Rent-a-Mama (Lebanon, Canada, Qatar) by Dania Bdeir tells the story of a traditional Lebanese supermom and housewife, who is living in New York and decides to sign up on an app to become a mother-for-hire to liberal Gen Zers.
The Dry Kingdom (Jordan, USA, Qatar) by Dana J. Atrach. Amid a global water crisis, the rebellious daughter of a missing scientist must find her father and his groundbreaking discovery before it falls into the wrong hands.
Echoes (Lebanon, Qatar) by Marie-Rose Osta is a collection of selected stories from the Arab world, where the tales of six women from different countries intersect with the spirits of women from the past.
MENA – Web Series – Production
El'Sardines (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Zoulikha Tahar. An Algerian marine bioengineer navigates the chaos of her sister's wedding preparations while keeping her impending departure for a sardine-run expedition a secret.
MENA – Shorts – Narrative – Development
Before the Day Breaks (Qatar) by Amal Al-Muftah tells the story of Nour, a young truck driver, who encounters obstacles while delivering an urgent, unusual shipment to Qatar.
If Only (Qatar) by Ali Al Anssari portrays Hamda, who thirty-five years after her separation from her parents, takes a leap back in time to save their lives, only to find out the hidden truth about their untimely departure.
MENA – Shorts – Narrative – Production
Little Man (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Hajri Gachouch unfolds the story of a man who persists in carrying out his mysterious project in a drought-stricken village in the Sahara.
Salted Skins (Lebanon, France, Canada, Qatar) by Nicolas Fattouh depicts Nabil who begins to lose his space in his childhood home, gradually being occupied by the family of his elder brother.
The Heaviness of Absence (Syria, Germany, Qatar) by Jalal Maghout. In the midst of war-torn Damascus, a distressed young man tries to discover the fate of his arrested father.
Zizou (Egypt, Qatar) by Khaled Moeit is about a 13-year-old overweight boy's struggle to join the neighborhood's football team as a way to prove himself.
Eman (Qatar) by Maha Al-Thani. Raised in a strict household, an adolescent girl’s immense desire to go out leads her to an alternative universe which might prove to be worse than her reality.
Please Pause (Qatar) by Lulwa Al-Thani follows a boy navigating the challenges of growing up who, while seeking comfort in reminiscence and nostalgia, confronts a surprising truth about his age during a chance encounter with a police officer.
MENA – Shorts Documentary – Production
The Star (Lebanon, Qatar) by Ingrid El Zoghby is the transformative journey of a cancer survivor who discovers how her health problems might be linked to her past traumas.
Another Day Shall Come (Palestine, Qatar) by Aida Kaadan is an audio-visual portrait of silenced Palestinians living in Israel during the war on Gaza.
All images courtesy of the Doha Film Institute, used with permission.