The Doha Film Institute (DFI) will shine the spotlight once again on Qatar’s homegrown talent and emerging Arab voices at the Sarajevo Film Festival 2019 to be held from August 16-23. A total of 11 films supported by the DFI, including the ‘Shortcuts to Qatar’ titles, have been selected to participate at one of Europe’s largest film events.
DFI grant recipients Abou Leila by Amin Sidi-Boumediene and The Unknown Saint by Alaa Eddine Aljem will screen to a global audience at prestigious key sections of the festival. A further three DFI grant recipients and previous Qumra projects, Dawiha by Mahdi Ali Ali, Mediterranean Fever by Maha Haj and Nouss Nouss by Leila Albayaty, have been selected to the festivals project development porgramme, CineLink Industry Days, which aims to connect filmmakers with international experts to discuss various aspects of film production.
Additionally, six short films made by Qatar or Qatar-based talents will screen at the “Shortcuts to Qatar” showcase, in the presence of filmmakers from the programme, Majid al-Remaihi, Mohamed al-Mahmeed and Eiman Mirghani, who will introduce the films and participate in a post-screening Q&A.
The six short films that will screen at the ‘Shortcuts to Qatar’ event includes Domestic Acoustics by Majid al-Remaihi; Where Are You Right Meow by Maysam al-Ani; Voyager by Khalifa al-Marri; I Am Not My Father by Naif al-Malki; and Nasser Goes to Space by Mohammed al-Mahmeed; The Bleaching Syndrome by Eiman Mirghani. The screening will take place on 20 August at noon.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, chief executive officer, DFI, said, “We are truly proud of the significant selection of Qatar-supported films at the festival. Sarajevo is one of the largest film festivals in Europe, and similar to the DFI, plays an increasingly important role in improving understanding between the East and the West through film appreciation.
“The festival offers educational and networking opportunities for emerging filmmakers and has become an important destination for the discovery of new voices from the Arab world. As our cultural partners, we will continue to work with them on initiatives that focus on supporting bold voices in cinema from Qatar and the region, and bring fresh perspectives and narrative styles to global
audiences.”
The Sarajevo Film Festival is marking its 25th edition this year and builds on its reputation for high-quality programming, strong industry segment, and educational and networking platforms for young talents. The festival welcomes film professionals from across the world for its unique selection of Southeast European and international films. (QNA)
A still from The Unknown Saint.
