DOHA: Qatari film industry’s achievements over the past five years are being celebrated at the inaugural ‘Focus on Qatar’ festival for three days.
Organised by Doha Film Institute (DFI), the event will be held until Friday at Museum of Islamic Art, showcasing more than 15 short films.
Following a red carpet welcome to participants, the event began with a special screening of Qatar’s first feature-length film Clockwise by Khalifa Al Muraikhi.
‘Focus on Qatar’, being part of Hekayat Khaleejiya screening series, will showcase homegrown talent and key achievements that have contributed to the growth of film culture in Qatar.
The event includes industry programmes that celebrate the birth of cinema in Qatar to give a glimpse of filmmakers and production companies contributing to Qatari industry’s growth.
‘Focus in Qatar has been designed to celebrate achievements and the nation’s talented filmmakers who have contributed to developing the industry, said Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO, DFI.
She said the modern day film industry of Qatar since its birth in 2009-2010 has come a long way within a short time.
Al Remaihi said though the film industry in Qatar lacks full-time filmmakers, “there are many enthusiastic people interested in filmmaking, but they do it while studying or working. We need people to take filmmaking as a career”.
Clockwise was made in 2010 and Al Muraikhi’s feature debut highlights the folktale of how fijiri, the entrancing music of Khaleeji pearl drivers, came to be.
The film had its world premiere in Doha as part of Qatar’s Arab Capital of Culture celebrations in 2010 and was screened at regional and international film festivals.
This screening will celebrate the fifth anniversary of Clockwise’s release, to be preceded by an overview of the history of cinema in Qatar.
‘Focus on Qatar’ also includes screenings as part of ‘Next Generation Short Film Programme’ and ‘Innovation Films Showcase’.
Tomorrow, the event will highlight achievements of Innovation Films, a company that has been at the forefront of Qatar’s cinematic rise.
It includes works of independent filmmakers that have emerged in Qatar over the past five years and Innovation Films.
The industry programme scheduled for today and tomorrow brings together Qatari filmmakers and local industry professionals for ‘Meet the Production Houses’ that introduces participants to key production companies in Qatar to encourage future collaborations and a panel, ‘How to Distribute Your Film’, that explores distribution possibilities available to independent filmmakers for wider reach.
The Peninsula
