'Made in Qatar', the popular showcase of film talent from Qatar opened on Tuesday night in the presence of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Doha Film Institute (DFI), and other distinguished guests, including this year’s jury members Sheila Vand, Ahmed al-Baker and Farah Nabulsi.
DFI CEO and festival director Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said, “Year after year, amazing talents from Qatar tell compelling stories of, in and from our nation through film, and secure our place on the world stage.”
The 10 promising filmmakers who call the country home who will have their films screened as part of the 'Made in Qatar' Programme, presented by Ooredoo, explained their thought processes on why they chose to be filmmakers, their aspirations and inspirations, and why Qatar’s emerging cinema industry offers a compelling platform for youth to explore new frontiers in filmmaking.
Majid al-Remaihi, whose film 'And Then They Burn the Sea' (Qatar/2021), an ode to his mother who suffered from gradual and terminal memory loss over the course of many years, set the tempo by highlighting that the cinematic content they make reflects the vibrant youth and promise of the industry in Qatar.
About his own film, al-Remaihi said he didn’t intend to convey just one message. “I was thinking on a couple levels: One, about what cinema as a medium allows me to express; secondly, as the son of a mother going through memory loss. Cinema is a language; it doesn’t have to have a social or political message. It can be about evoking feelings and enriching experiences that go beyond the dramatic. It is sensory and transport you to other places.”
Ania Hendryx Wojtowicz, the director of 'Fever Dream' (Qatar, Poland, US/2021), a documentary about a reality that is stranger than fiction, said Qatar offers an environment that encourages young people to continue to build on their passion for making films. “A lot of people on this panel (the 'Made in Qatar' Programme) have been making films for years. There is consistency and that shows maturity.” She said Qatar is “a melting pot, super-international and diverse."
Echoing the sentiment of universality in the themes of their films was Shaima al-Tamimi, whose film 'Don’t Get Too Comfortable' (Yemen, UAE, US, Netherlands, Qatar/2021), contemplates the continuous pattern of movement amongst Yemenis in the diaspora. “My film comes from a personal perspective and everything that was said about Yemen. What I noticed is that we can be too afraid to take ownership of our narrative.”
Fatma Zahra Abderrahim, whose film 'A Lens Under Water' (Qatar/2021) takes an eye-opening and colourful dive into the teeming coastal waters of Qatar, said her film’s theme – the environment -- is also universal. “Our project about the beauty of the environment and underwater life is something that matters on a big scale to everyone. Our environment unifies us all, and the important message is that as filmmakers, we help people understand us through our films.”
The filmmakers said they are not pursuing movies as a one-time endeavour. There is a lot of support in Qatar -- especially from DFI -- to nurture local talent. “Qatar has a bold young film culture and that encourages us to push boundaries.”
Other films in the 'Made in Qatar' programme include 'Border' (Qatar/2021) by Khalifa al-Thani is a DFI-supported film, set in an abstrusely dystopian future, where a man wishes to return to his family; 'Kan Fe Nas' (Qatar, Lebanon/2021) by Mohamed al-Hamadi, which documents the stories of Lebanese people as they endure daily hardships; 'Virtual Voice' (Qatar, Sudan/2021) by Suzannah Mirghani, a digital-savvy and satirical review of the online times; 'Atlal' (Remnants) (Qatar/2021) by Balkees al-Jaafari and Tony El Ghazal, which follows a wistful Palestinian man who embarks on a trip down memory lane to the pivotal locations of his life in Qatar; 'When Beirut was Beirut' (Qatar, Lebanon/2021) by Alessandra El Chanti, an animated documentary; and 'Olayan' (Qatar/2021) by Khalifa al-Marri, which follows a Bedouin boy named Hamad who forms a bond with a new-born camel.
One can watch the next screening of the 10 'Made in Qatar' films at 8.30pm Thursday at Vox Cinemas, Doha Festival City. Tickets for Ajyal 2021 and can be purchased at www.dohafilminstitute.com/filmfestival
Tony El Ghazal, Balkees al-Jaafari, Fatma Zahra Abderrahim, Alessandra El Chanti, Majid al-Remaihi, Shaima al-Tamimi, Suzannah Mirghani, Khalifa al-Marri and Ania Wójtowicz attending the 'Made in Qatar' press briefing. PICTURE: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for DFI
In a media conversation with Qatar’s young filmmakers at the 9th Ajyal Film Festival, presented by the DFI, the bar was raised with a clear understanding of cinema and strong passion and conviction to present stories that deliver a "wide spectrum, unique experience of culture".The 10 promising filmmakers who call the country home who will have their films screened as part of the 'Made in Qatar' Programme, presented by Ooredoo, explained their thought processes on why they chose to be filmmakers, their aspirations and inspirations, and why Qatar’s emerging cinema industry offers a compelling platform for youth to explore new frontiers in filmmaking.
Majid al-Remaihi, whose film 'And Then They Burn the Sea' (Qatar/2021), an ode to his mother who suffered from gradual and terminal memory loss over the course of many years, set the tempo by highlighting that the cinematic content they make reflects the vibrant youth and promise of the industry in Qatar.
About his own film, al-Remaihi said he didn’t intend to convey just one message. “I was thinking on a couple levels: One, about what cinema as a medium allows me to express; secondly, as the son of a mother going through memory loss. Cinema is a language; it doesn’t have to have a social or political message. It can be about evoking feelings and enriching experiences that go beyond the dramatic. It is sensory and transport you to other places.”
Ania Hendryx Wojtowicz, the director of 'Fever Dream' (Qatar, Poland, US/2021), a documentary about a reality that is stranger than fiction, said Qatar offers an environment that encourages young people to continue to build on their passion for making films. “A lot of people on this panel (the 'Made in Qatar' Programme) have been making films for years. There is consistency and that shows maturity.” She said Qatar is “a melting pot, super-international and diverse."
Echoing the sentiment of universality in the themes of their films was Shaima al-Tamimi, whose film 'Don’t Get Too Comfortable' (Yemen, UAE, US, Netherlands, Qatar/2021), contemplates the continuous pattern of movement amongst Yemenis in the diaspora. “My film comes from a personal perspective and everything that was said about Yemen. What I noticed is that we can be too afraid to take ownership of our narrative.”
Fatma Zahra Abderrahim, whose film 'A Lens Under Water' (Qatar/2021) takes an eye-opening and colourful dive into the teeming coastal waters of Qatar, said her film’s theme – the environment -- is also universal. “Our project about the beauty of the environment and underwater life is something that matters on a big scale to everyone. Our environment unifies us all, and the important message is that as filmmakers, we help people understand us through our films.”
The filmmakers said they are not pursuing movies as a one-time endeavour. There is a lot of support in Qatar -- especially from DFI -- to nurture local talent. “Qatar has a bold young film culture and that encourages us to push boundaries.”
Other films in the 'Made in Qatar' programme include 'Border' (Qatar/2021) by Khalifa al-Thani is a DFI-supported film, set in an abstrusely dystopian future, where a man wishes to return to his family; 'Kan Fe Nas' (Qatar, Lebanon/2021) by Mohamed al-Hamadi, which documents the stories of Lebanese people as they endure daily hardships; 'Virtual Voice' (Qatar, Sudan/2021) by Suzannah Mirghani, a digital-savvy and satirical review of the online times; 'Atlal' (Remnants) (Qatar/2021) by Balkees al-Jaafari and Tony El Ghazal, which follows a wistful Palestinian man who embarks on a trip down memory lane to the pivotal locations of his life in Qatar; 'When Beirut was Beirut' (Qatar, Lebanon/2021) by Alessandra El Chanti, an animated documentary; and 'Olayan' (Qatar/2021) by Khalifa al-Marri, which follows a Bedouin boy named Hamad who forms a bond with a new-born camel.
One can watch the next screening of the 10 'Made in Qatar' films at 8.30pm Thursday at Vox Cinemas, Doha Festival City. Tickets for Ajyal 2021 and can be purchased at www.dohafilminstitute.com/filmfestival
