Doha Film Festival will showcase a remarkable selection of acclaimed titles from across the world as part of its International Feature Film Competition, reflecting the festival’s commitment to cinematic excellence and cultural diversity, bringing together powerful stories that resonate across borders.
This year’s inaugural Doha Film Festival is bound to be a cool event for cinema lovers. With a newly announced line up for their International Feature Film Competition, the festival establishes a curated program of world cinema greats.
Among the standouts are two of my favorite films, which I mentored earlier this year during the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra event. The first of these is Guillermo García López’s Sleepless City, set on the outskirts of Madrid in a community that seems lost in space and time, where gypsy legends live elbow to elbow with modern immigrants. In the midst of this human limbo, 15-year-old Tonino’s world begins to unravel as his best friend prepares to leave and he must come to terms with his cultural heritage but also what he needs to leave behind to move forward. It’s a touching film possessing a rare quality of narrative surprise and acid-toned visual beauty which washes over the viewer.
Also, for the first time screening outside of Mexico, is Pablo Pérez Lombardini’s The Reserve, another mentee of mine! The film tells the story of a woman, a park ranger in an indigenous community who relentlessly fights to preserve her environment. The Reserve is a film which bafflingly didn’t get an international premiere at an A-list festival this year. Maybe the idea of a woman superhero, a real woman without costumes and fancy gadgets, taking on men who come in to pollute the idyllic yet isolated reserve she calls home, didn’t please the typical festival narrative of a woman victim redeemed by a male hero. Whatever the reason, this stunning film shot in black & white deserves more than one viewing and I’m glad to see it in the DFF Competition line up.
Other films competing are Renoir by Chie Hayakawa, about a quirky and sensitive 11-year-old girl who deals with her terminally ill father and stressed-out working mother over one summer in Tokyo in 1987, while each of them thirsts for human connections. Also Belgian film The Last Shore by Jean-Francois Ravagnan which delves into the tragic story of Pateh Sabally’s, a young Gambian man whose drowning in Venice's Grand Canal in 2017 went viral on social networks — along with the aftermath experienced by his family.
And Iranian helmer Ali Asgari’s Divine Comedy, about a filmmaker who embarks on an underground mission to showcase his film to an Iranian audience — dodging government censors, absurd bureaucracy and his own self-doubts.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and CEO of Doha Film Institute, said: “At Doha Film Festival, we honor the remarkable filmmakers whose films have touched hearts, challenged perspectives, and are reshaping the global cinema landscape through courageous narratives. The films in the International Feature Film Competition share a deep commitment to authentic storytelling and reflect our shared belief in the transformative power of film. We are proud to provide a platform in Doha where powerful voices can be heard and where audiences can engage with stories that inspire reflection, empathy, and connection.”
The competition brings together award-winning filmmakers whose impactful stories have inspired audiences around the world. Through their bold storytelling and artistic excellence, these creators continue to shape global cinema and spark meaningful cultural dialogue.
Taking place from 20–28 November 2025, Doha Film Festival (DFF) represents the bold next chapter in Doha Film Institute's mission to nurture regional talent and champion urgent and authentic stories in cinema.
The festival will transform iconic locations across Doha, including Katara Cultural Village, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and the Museum of Islamic Art, into vibrant hubs of cultural exchange, bringing together filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences from every corner of the globe, to reaffirm art’s power to inspire, to unite, and to spotlight voices that deepen our shared understanding.
Images courtesy of the Doha Film Institute, used with permission.