Back to listing

Fourth Edition of the Festival to run for 8 days

Doha, 22 July 2012 – Doha Film Institute (DFI) today announced the appointment of HE Mr. Issa Bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority, as the Vice Chair to the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF). The 2012 Edition scheduled from November 17-24 is being expanded to eight days to provide Festival audiences a more comprehensive and enriching cultural experience with new screening venues in Doha. Indoor and outdoor screenings will also take place at Katara Cultural Village and Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA).

The new Vice Chair, Mr. Al Mohannadi, brings with him a wealth of national industry sector experience and know-how and will focus on bringing communities of Qatar and the region together. He will be working with the DFI team to build a strong cultural showcase that strengthens the diversity of the programme and enhances community participation.

Mr. Al Mohannadi said: “I’m proud to be part of DTFF, a cultural magnet for the community that has grown exponentially over the years, helping position Qatar as a leading cultural destination for the region and beyond. DTFF has always had a community focused international outlook and this year with an expanded format our screenings will span the globe with an unprecedented range of offerings for our discerning fans. We plan to integrate new elements to this year’s festival, making our initiatives stronger to further our mandate of promoting local and Arab cinema and talents. DTFF is a meeting ground for the filmmaking community and we hope to engender fruitful relationships between thriving film cultures.”

Since its inception, DFI’s successful cultural partnerships with Tribeca Enterprises, Giffoni Film Festival, and Katara Cultural Village has enabled it to create a uniquely Qatari, community-minded platform for the expression, exposure and celebration of both Arab and international films.

Executive Director of Programming, Maggie Kim, commented, “DTFF 2012 will continue to build on the success of previous editions, showcasing a diverse selection of films from around the world. The Festival will feature competitive programmes for Arab and international films to participate in various categories including Best Arab Film, Best Arab Filmmaker, Audience Awards for Best Narrative, Documentary and Arab Short Films, amongst others.”

The Festival will showcase an internationally diverse programme of approximately 50 films in distinct themed segments, providing a dynamic set of perspectives and stories for festival-goers. Public participation will also be central with the Festival providing an array of large community events, including the hugely popular family day, as well as panels, networking events and educational filmmaking programs including Doha Talks and Doha Projects.

Mr. Al Mohannadi added: “As we move towards a new and exciting phase at DFI, we believe that this year’s Festival will not only echo the successes of previous editions, but create synergy between all attendees to generate a stronger community experience. The extended format will encourage visitors to have a more engaging experience as well as maximizing visibility of the all the films across a longer period of time.”

“With every year we have introduced new elements to enhance the overall festival experience, providing the best in regional and international cinema culture for our local audiences, who have backed the festival since the beginning. We look forward to another promising edition.”

The third edition of the Festival, which wrapped October 29, 2011, featured 51 films from 35 countries including nine world premieres, four international
premieres and 26 MENA premieres. Nearly 50,000 movie-goers attended the Festival screenings and other integrated activities with over 17,000 attendees at Family Day alone. 2011 Arab Film Competition winners included Best Narrative Film Normal, by Merzak Allouache, and Best Documentary Film The Virgin, The Copts and Me by Namir Abdel Messeeh. The festival’s Best Narrative Film and Best Documentary Audience Awards were bestowed on Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki’s Where Do We Go Now? and documentarian Morgan Spurlock’s Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, respectively.

The 2011 Jury comprised of acclaimed filmmakers Mohammed Malas, Eric Khoo, Jasmila Zbanic, Nick Broomfield and Hakim Belabbes and actress’s Robin Wright and Carmen Lebbos. Celebrity attendance was also impressive, with heavy-hitters Antonio Banderas, Frieda Pinto, Mark Strong, Tahar Rahim, Omar Sharief, Yosra, Nadine Labaki, Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Jamal Suleiman, Khalid El Nabwy, Michelle Yeoh, Vincent Cassell, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Luc Besson among many others gracing the red carpet. For more information please visit www.dohafilminstitute.com.