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• Ajyal’s Drive-In cinema at Lusail in partnership with Qatar Tourism returns with a diverse lineup of family-friendly titles and midnight horror screenings
• Drive-in effortlessly, watch the special selection of films with family and friends from the comfort of your cars

Doha, Qatar; October 30, 2021: As the nation returns to the new reality, rediscover the joy of connecting with friends and family with an outdoor cinema experience at the 9th Ajyal Film Festival’s Drive-In Cinema Screenings.

Returning to offer audiences a unique safe alternative to experience film, the Drive-In Cinema at Lusail in partnership with Qatar Tourism is designed to entertain you in a relaxed and fun environment. Six all-time favourites will be screened in an eclectic mix of family-friendly superhits and midnight horror classics. There is also a colourful red carpet screening that will make children the stars of the day dressed up as their favourite characters.

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “A crowd-pleasing highlight of Ajyal 2020, DFI’s Drive-In cinema at Lusail in partnership with Qatar Tourism returns with a diverse lineup of family-friendly titles and midnight horror screenings that offers something for everyone. The current global situation has shown us the necessity of purpose-driven initiatives to keep our minds and creative spirits active in times of isolation, and the drive-in format provides a safe and enjoyable alternative for a communal film going experience. In a time of continuing uncertainty, these experiences help create lasting memories for the audiences fortunate to enjoy them in person.”

On Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 6.30 PM, watch Maya the Bee 3: The Golden Orb (Germany, Australia/2021), directed by Noel Clearly. The film is about Maya, a headstrong little bee, and her best friend, Willi, who rescue an ant princess but find themselves in the middle of an epic bug battle that will take them to strange new worlds.

Everyone’s favourite, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (UK, USA/2001) will be screened on Thursday, Nov. 11, at 6.30 PM. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the big-screen magical caper directed by Chris Columbus is the adaptation of the first of J.K. Rowling’s popular children’s novels about Harry Potter, a boy who learns on his eleventh birthday that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own.

At 11.59 PM on the same day, watch the wildly original and truly creepy horror classic, Child’s Play (USA/1988). Directed by Tom Holland, the film has a dying murderer Charles Lee Ray using black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky, which soon wreaks havoc.

Joyous children will take over the venue on Friday, Nov. 12, at 6.30 as they come dressed up as their favourite character for the Kids Red Carpet Screening of One Hundred and One Dalmatians (USA/1961). Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske and Clyde Geronimi, the film is about Dalmatian Pongo, who is tired of his bachelor-dog life. He spies lovely Perdita and manoeuvres his master, Roger into meeting Perdita’s owner, Anita. The owners fall in love and marry, keeping Pongo and Perdita together too.

Night gives way to the eerie experience of watching The Conjuring (USA/2013), directed by James Wan. Set in 1970, it is about paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine and Ed Warren, who are summoned to the home of Carolyn and Roger Perron. The Perrons and their five daughters have recently moved into a secluded farmhouse, where a supernatural presence has made itself known.

The final screening on Sat. Nov. 13 is at 10 PM, with another horror film, Annabelle (USA/2014). Directed by John R. Leonetti, the film is about John Form, who has found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia—a beautiful, rare vintage doll in a pure white wedding dress. But Mia’s delight with Annabelle doesn’t last long.

Tickets for the Drive-In Cinema screenings are priced QR 100 to 150 per car and can be purchased at www.dohafilminstitute.com/festival.