Snapshot from trailer of Notturno
Notturno, a film by Italian director, cinematographer, producer and screenwriter Gianfranco Rosi, has made the Oscars shortlist for Best Documentary Feature following a preliminary voting by the members of the Academy. Co-financed by Doha Film Institute (DFI), Notturno is among the list of 15 films chosen from among 238 films eligible for the award which was announced on Tuesday along with eight other categories. Shot over the course of three years between Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan, and Lebanon, Notturno follows different people from near war zones in the Middle East, trying to restart their everyday lives.
It is a study of how borders have changed the destiny of people. The moving documentary takes the audience into a world where human beings are squashed in the middle of conflict and leaves them there to discover how strong they can truly be. Following its world premiere at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, the film has screened at different festivals including the Toronto Film Festival and the New York Film Festival among others. Shortlists for Best Short Documentary, Best Makeup and Hair, Best Score, Best Song, Best Animated Short, Best Live Action Short, and Best Visual Effects were also announced on Tuesday.
Announcement of final nominations is scheduled on March 15. Despite challenges caused by the pandemic, it has been another successful year for DFIsupported films having taken part in many film festivals, some of which have won awards. At this year’s Oscars, five films backed by DFI were the official entries of their respective countries for the Best International Feature Film category including Notturno by Gianfranco Rosi (Italy), You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala (Sudan), Gaza Mon Amour by Tarzan Abunasser and Arab Abunasser (Palestine), The Unknown Saint by Alaa Eddine Aljem (Morocco), and 200 Meters by Ameen Nayfeh (Jordan).
Once again, this reaffirms DFI’s crucial role in supporting quality films in the Arab world and internationally. Some DFI-granted films have also reached more audiences in many countries via streaming giant Netflix. They include Capharnaum, Sofia, Papicha, A Son, You Will Die at Twenty, Noura’s Dream, Beauty and the Dogs, Wajib, and Theeb, among others.
