Included are frequent DFI collaborator Rithy Panh and Tunisian star Dhafer L’Abidine.
Read MoreClockwise from left: Raja Amari, Dhafer L’Abidine, Rithy Panh, Alessandra Speciale
A still from ‘The Reserve’ by Pablo Pérez Lombardini courtesy of © Pikila
World cinema projects from Mexico's 'The Reserve' to Spain's 'Sleepless City' and Japan's ‘Renoir’ in Competition at inaugural Doha Film Festival
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.
Read More
A still from ‘Khartoum’, a documentary which will screen at the Doha Film Festival later this November
Sudan in focus at the upcoming inaugural Doha Film Festival in Qatar
Featuring music and films from the country in turmoil, the line up for the event held by the Doha Film Institute, highlights the creativity and rich heritage of a nation whose stories continue to inspire the world.
Read More
A still from ‘Once Upon a Time in Gaza’ by Tarzan and Arab Nasser, courtesy of DFI
Upcoming inaugural Doha Film Festival to showcase Palestinian stories
And honestly, from the DFI, I would expect nothing less!
Read More
Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix produced 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' to open inaugural Doha Film Festival
Tunisian Oscar nominated filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s Venice Silver Lion winner is “a moving tribute to resilience and the power of cinema”.
Read More
George Clooney in ‘Jay Kelly’ by Noah Baumbach, photo courtesy of Netflix
The Venice Diaries: A Saudi wonder film, Variety's 2025 Achievement in International Film Award does it right plus films, stars & more stars
Among the highlights of the first few days of the Venice International Film Festival, a first appearance on the Lido by Julia Roberts and some well-deserved recognition for Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, the wondrous CEO of the Doha Film Institute.
Read More
Jafar Panahi, after his Palme d’Or win for It Was Just an Accident
Jafar Panahi & 'The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo' take Cannes top prizes -- in Competition and Un Certain Regard
At a festival where everyone was told to avoid political statements, the juries made their views loud and clear by choosing films to award with their activists caps on.
Read More
DFI supporting the Palestinian pavilion in Cannes this year, with Fatma Hasan Alremaihi, center, Elia Suleiman, third from left and Hanaa Issa, third from right.
Doha Film Institute proves once again the cinematic force to be reckoned with in Cannes
And with a new upcoming international film festival announced for November 2025, the Gulf cultural organization plans to prove to the world what many of us already knew.
Read More
Welcome to the first episode of The Culture Influential
Starting right here, right now, I’m kicking off a podcast that brings together film and fashion in a brand new way, where you'll find yourself sitting in the room with celebrities and artists, for some cozy conversations. Cultural events and world affairs decoded, from Cannes to Venice to London and across the pond, to NYC.
Read More
Cannes' sidebars -- Critics' Week, Directors' Fortnight and ACID selections announced
Among the titles which stand out to me immediately are two beautiful projects, one selected for Critics’ Week and the other in the Fortnight line up, which participated in the recent DFI Qumra industry incubator. And I included the shorts in Critics’ Week!
Read More
Qumra 2025 projects include an outlaw Bedouin bandit couple adventure and a Palestinian dystopian sci-fi thriller
Also included in the extensive line up of projects participating in the upcoming industry incubator organized by the Doha Film Institute is the follow up by Algerian helmers Damien Ounouri and Adila Bendimerad to their award winning epic ‘The Last Queen’, as well as Suzannah Mirghani’s highly anticipated feature debut ‘Cotton Queen’.
Read More
Clockwise from left: Walter Salles, Anna Terrazas, Darius Khondji and Lav Diaz
Walter Salles, Lav Diaz and 'Roma' costume designer Anna Terrazas announced as Qumra Masters 2025
The list for the upcoming edition also includes César and Academy Award nominated DoP Darius Khondji, and Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To Kei-Fung.
Read More
Ajyal young jurors sit during a screening of a film in their section
The Doha Ajyal Diaries: Women filmmakers sweep awards at this year's DFI Ajyal Film Festival
And, while watching films during this wondrous festival, I witnessed a second miracle in the making.
Read More
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi and Her Excellency Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater surrounded by some of the Ajyal jurors
The Doha Ajyal Diaries: Opening night with a twist and the joy of unorthodox film choices
A documentary about the students’ movement in Sudan opened this year’s DFI Ajyal film festival. And the unusual, yet super welcomed refreshing choices didn’t stop there.
Read More
A still from ‘Sudan, Remember Us’ by Hind Meddeb, courtesy of the DFI
Ajyal 2024: Festival will kick off with 'Sudan, Remember Us' and will present a focus on Voices from Palestine
With the theme of the 2024 edition of Ajyal Film Festival presented by the Doha Film Institute announced as ‘Moments That Matter’, the event will also see the participation of Palestinian stars Hiam Abbas, Saleh and Mohammad Bakri, along with beloved Egyptian actor Khaled El Nabawy, Turkish TV star Esra Bilgic and Sudanese musician Mustafa the Poet.
Read More
A still from ‘Aïcha’ by Mehdi Barsaoui, courtesy of The Party Film Sales
More to love from the Doha Film Institute at this year's Venice Film Fest
This year there are 12 Doha Film Institute supported films in the lineup on the Lido, plus the DFI is hosting a special afternoon and even a gala dinner celebrating their achievements in the world of cinema and art.
Read More
A still from ‘Salted Skins’ by Nicolas Fattouh, courtesy of the DFI
The Cannes Diaries: Doha Dreaming with multiple DFI projects in the Cannes Official line up & Spring 2024 upcoming grants
It’s all in a week’s work for the Doha Film Institute, the greatest cinematic organization in the MENA region.
Read More
A still from ‘The Girl with the Needle’, courtesy of the Festival de Cannes
The Cannes Diaries: Magical interviews, chance meetings and beautiful films
There is a trick to this festival. If you stand still long enough in Cannes — something a bit difficult to do on a weekend as crowds are bustling all around you — you’ll run into everyone who is anyone in the film universe.
Read More
Poster by Takeshi Kitano, titled, appropriately by the Japanese actor, writer, comedian, painter and director “Takeshi”
Cannes' Quinzaine and Semaine announce line ups
And there are some must-watch films in there which cannot be missed.
Read More
The Qumra class of 2024, captured in the courtyard of the Museum of Islamic Art
The Qumra Diaries: the good, the bad and the overcrowded
And no, I’m not talking about the bustling Souq Waqif on the eve of Ramadan!
Read More