Doha Film Institute CEO Addresses Attack On Palestinian ‘No Other Land' Director: 'Even An Oscar Does Not Offer Safety From Violent Oppression'
The ratcheting up of the Israel-Gaza conflict and recent attacks on pro-Palestinians activists loomed large at the opening of the Doha Film Institute's annual talent and project meeting on Friday.
Some 300 attendees gathered for the welcoming meet and greet at Doha's Museum of Islamic Art, followed by a masterclass by Brazilian director Walter Salles, fresh from his Best International Feature Film win for I'm Still Here.
More from Deadline
Market In Focus: Qatari Filmmakers Line-Up Features As Doha Film Institute Marks 15th Anniversary - Qumra
Market In Focus: Walter Salles To Open Qatar's Qumra Meeting Offering Safe Harbor To Marginalized Voices In Politically-Charged Times
Doha Film Institute Unveils 49 Projects Selected For 2025 Qumra Event With Oscar Winner Walter Salles As Mentor
In a strongly worded opening speech, DFI CEO Fatma Al Remaihi voiced her concerns over 'attempts to erase voices in the region' and raised the case of the recent attack on Oscar-winning Palestinian No Other Land director Hamdam Ballal.
Referring to the fact the DFI is marking its 15th anniversary, Al Remaihi said the institute's founding mission to nurture untold stories from the region was more relevant than ever.
'Today, as we celebrate this milestone, we find ourselves at a complex crossroads where the world is witnessing continuing genocides,' she said. 'The promise of peace and ceasefire are merely cover stories for the continued dehumanisation and attempts to erase voices in the region.'
Israel resumed its ground operation in Gaza on March 19 after negotiations to extend a fragile ceasefire involving an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners failed.
More than 1,000 people have been killed and 280,000 displaced since the resumption of the offensive, which has left more than 50,000 people dead in Gaza to date. The military campaign was sparked by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the taking of 251 hostages.
'In a world where many prominent cultural events and institutions have chosen silence over solidarity and protesting voices face marginalization, we must stand firm in our duty as storytellers and ambassadors for humanity, it's as simple as that,' said Al Remaihi.
Al Remaihi was speaking one week after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued an apology for failing to mention Ballal's name in a statement it put out after he was attacked by settlers in his West Bank village and then detained by the Israeli army.
The Oscar win for the documentary – following the struggle of people living in the West Bank Palestinian villages of Masafer Yatta in the face of attempts by Israel to erase their homes and history from the map – has sparked an uptick in settler violence against the communities captured in the film in recent weeks.
'The recent attack on Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal proves that even winning the most prestigious award-an Oscar- does not offer any safety from violent oppression,' said Al Remaihi.
'Now, more than ever, spaces like Qumra must exist—not just as a forum for artistic growth, but as a platform for voices that refuse to be silenced. It may sound cliché but cinema is more than just art—it is the last remaining tool we have for positive change and resilience,' she concluded.
Running from April 4 to 9 in Doha, the 11th edition of Qumra will host the directors and producers of 49 works supported by the DFI's grantee program in various stages of development and production.
Best of Deadline
Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far
Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far
2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
6 minutes ago
- Forbes
Why Hollywood Stars Make Bank On Broadway—For Producers
George Clooney could not have asked for a much bigger or better Broadway debut. Good Night, and Good Luck—the show he cowrote, produced and stars in—is nominated for five Tony Awards at this Sunday's ceremony, including Clooney for Best Actor, and has broken weekly box office records as the highest-grossing non-musical play in history. Its penultimate performance on Saturday will be broadcast live on CNN and HBO Max, a first for a Broadway show. Through 12 weeks of its 13-week run, the stage adaptation of the showdown between journalist Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy has grossed more on Broadway ($44 million) than its source material. The 2005 film of the same name cowritten and directed by Clooney, earned just $32 million at the domestic box office despite earning six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Director. But this much is clear—Clooney didn't come to Broadway for the money. Forbes estimates the 64-year-old Clooney will earn $6 million in salary and gross royalties for his numerous roles in the show, more than any other theater performer over that span, but a fraction of what Hollywood's highest-paid actors can expect to make on each movie project. For last year's Wolfs, for instance, Forbes estimates Apple paid Clooney and his co-star Brad Pitt $30 million each. Whether it's the purity or the prestige of acting on stage—"Movies will make you famous, television will make you rich, but theatre will make you good," the Broadway stalwart Terrence Mann famously quipped—A-list stars like Clooney have become a vital of the Broadway ecosystem. Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal currently headline Othello, while Kieren Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr lead Glengarry Glen Ross. In April, Gladiator II star Paul Mescal wrapped up a run in A Streetcar Named Desire. And the 2024 theater season included Robert Downey Jr., Rachel McAdams, Steve Carrell, Eddie Redmayne and Jeremy Strong, all leading non-musical plays that ran 10-16 weeks with a hard closing date to accommodate the actors' busy schedules. While Hollywood stars have made appearances on Broadway for decades, in recent years, producers and investors have been increasingly eager to stage these short-run, star-driven productions, which considerably lower their financial risk. A play typically requires a $6 to $9 million investment to get to opening night, compared to $20-25 million for new musicals, according to Forbes estimates. Weekly operating costs run in the $400,000-$600,000 range for plays versus $800,000-$900,000 for musicals. 'Your likelihood of losing all your money [as an investor] is near zero, because of the projections of sales based on that actor," says Jason Turchin, a Tony-winning producer and founder of the Broadway Investors Club. 'You may not make multiples back but you should get a healthy return.' Good Night, and Good Luck, for example, recouped its initial $9.5 million investment just seven and a half weeks into its run. Othello and Glengarry Glen Ross made their money back ($9 million and $7.5 million respectively) in nine weeks. Reputation, Reputation, Reputation: Stars such as Othello's Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington can sell out limited-edition runs on Broadway and then return to the more lucrative world of movies. While the upside of these shows is capped by the limited run, investors can expect to make 10-30% return on their capital, Turchin says. Considering only about a quarter of all Broadway shows fully pay back their investors, or less, it's the kind of safe bet he believes producers will lean into even more in future years. A-list stars meanwhile, some of whom are paid upwards of $20 million per movie, are typically given a minimum weekly salary—around $100,000 per week for the highest-level talent—as an advance against a percentage of the show's net gross, after expenses such as credit card fees and theater restoration charges are deducted from the raw receipts. An actor's gross royalty points are highly variable, but the top end can reach 10%. Other significant members of a show, such as the writers, producers, and directors, are either paid royalties from a small percentage of the gross or a larger percentage of a show's profits after recoupment. For ongoing shows, almost all have moved toward paying out of the profits to mitigate risk, but for sure-thing star vehicles—say, Hugh Jackman's year-long run in the 2022 revival of The Music Man—the standard is gross participation. Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck deal would include net gross points for starring, cowriting, producing and owning the underlying IP, adding up to his impressive total. Until this year, a Broadway actor's gross percentage only modestly exceeded the weekly minimums. Most hits gross just over $1 million per week, and over the run of a show, a star performer could expect to earn between $1-3 million. But if you're the type of actor who has made a fortune playing a superhero (Jackman), selling a tequila company (Clooney) or being one of the most bankable box office draws of the last 30 years (Washington), the money matters less. What's changed in the 2025 season is that producers are realizing just how far they can push the ticket pricing with a bankable star, particularly for the most expensive seats. Average ticket prices for Good Night, and Good Luck, Othello and Glengarry Glen Ross hover between $250-$400, and premium seats have routinely sold in the $700-$900 range, more than double the cost of top tickets to last year's star-driven plays or long-running hits like Wicked and Hamilton. Of the shows that started their runs in March, they account for three of the top four highest-grossers on Broadway, with Good Night, and Good Luck and Othello averaging more than $3 million per week, and Clooney's show cracking the previously untouchable $4 million threshold for non-musicals on three occasions. For deep-pocketed theatergoers, the appeal of seeing a movie star perform live has proven immune to traditional hurdles for other shows, such as negative reviews. According to Broadway review aggregator Did They Like It?, Good Night, and Good Luck received eight positive reviews, 9 mixed reviews and four negative reviews from major critics. Othello logged two positive reviews, 15 mixed reviews and three negative, and was completely shut out at the Tony Awards. Yet ticket sales remain robust. Last year's Robert Downey Jr.-led McNeal—his Broadway debut—was one of the worst reviewed shows of the season (one positive, five mixed, eight negative) and grossed $14 million across its 12-week run. Compare that to a play like John Proctor Is The Villain—a revisionist telling of Arthur Miller's The Crucible starring Sadie Sink of Stranger Things—which received 17 positive reviews, three mixed and one negative, plus seven Tony nominations, but averages less than $500,000 in weekly grosses, and one can quickly see the disconnect. "It does seem that theatergoers want to see Hollywood celebrities, in the same space at the same time. They crave that experience,' says one major Broadway dealmaker. 'And for the star? A standing ovation from a thousand people every night doesn't hurt the ego.'
Newsweek
27 minutes ago
- Newsweek
'Wicked: For Good' Director's Reaction to New Trailer Goes Viral
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Wicked: For Good director Jon M. Chu's reaction to the film's new trailer has gone viral online. Newsweek reached out to Chu's representative via email for comment on Thursday. The Context Last year's Wicked, a spin-off of the Wizard of Oz, wowed both fans and critics, earning $756 million at the box office worldwide. The movie also scored 10 Oscar nominations and won two for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. Wicked: For Good is the second installment of the two-film adaption of the Broadway musical. Both films feature a star-studded cast including Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero. Chu, 45, is known for directing Crazy Rich Asians, in addition to the Wicked films. Other credits to his name are: In the Heights, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Step Up: All In. (L-R) Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu and Ariana Grande attend the New York special screening of "Wicked," presented by Universal Pictures at the Museum of Modern Art, on November 14, 2024 in New York City.... (L-R) Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu and Ariana Grande attend the New York special screening of "Wicked," presented by Universal Pictures at the Museum of Modern Art, on November 14, 2024 in New York City. More Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images for Universal Pictures What To Know The highly anticipated trailer for Wicked's forthcoming sequel was released on Wednesday and picked up where the first film left off. At the end of Wicked, Elphaba flees following the Wizard and Madame Morrible's manipulation, and she and Glinda share an emotional goodbye. "The epic conclusion comes to theaters this November," Wicked captioned the trailer across TikTok, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter. "Watch the #WickedForGood trailer now." Chu took to X to share the trailer via his own account and wrote: "You will be changed..." You will be changed... — Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) June 5, 2025 His note appears to refer to Wicked's song "For Good," in which the lyrics read: "Because I knew you / I have been changed / For good." At the time of publication, Chu's post racked up more than 392,500 views, 24,000 likes and over 430 comments. What People Are Saying In the replies underneath Chu's message, fans praised him and the trailer. X user @ArianaWorldHQ wrote in a note with over 3,000 views and 81 likes: "i am already changed after watching that trailer." @Jessey_Pearce said: "Well that was emotional... roll on November!" @TribalWolfz shared alongside a slew of loudly crying face emoji: "THANK YOU JON." @eternallysw posted: "the trailer was INSANEEEEEEEEEEE." @_positions__ remarked: "everyone will be changed, for good. i can't wait jon." @Trail_blazer__ chimed in: "Best trailer ever 10/10." @SaraElyse128 urged: "Jon plz release the movie now." @SaxAddict95 added: "Words cannot describe how excited I am for this movie. This trailer had me sobbing uncontrollably. I applaud you sir. May you hit every green light on your travels and your pillow always be cold when you go to sleep." @Alex1nWonderlnd replied: "I am so thankful to you. Seriously. This musical means so much to me and so many around the world and I am beyond thankful that you are directing this epic musical story and giving Wicked the justice it so deserves." What Happens Next Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21. Wicked is available to stream on Peacock. It is also available to rent or buy on platforms including Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Fandango at Home. Erivo will be hosting the upcoming Tony Awards on Sunday, June 8.
Hypebeast
an hour ago
- Hypebeast
Cillian Murphy Confirmed to Return in '28 Years Later' Trilogy
Summary Great news for fans of the iconic28 Days Laterzombie franchise. DirectorDanny Boylehas officially confirmed thatCillian Murphywill reprise his role as Jim in the ongoing28 Days Lateruniverse. This confirmation comes amidst intense speculation and a clever rollout strategy for the new trilogy. Murphy, who famously starred in the original 2002 film, will make his return in28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the second film in the new trilogy. While his appearance inThe Bone Templeis expected to be a brief, yet significant, 'handover section' or 'epilogue' teasing his larger role, fans are eagerly anticipating his return. Boyle revealed this information recently toIGNnoting, 'He is in the second one. I shouldn't give away too much… I'll get killed.' He also hinted that Murphy's involvement, especially after his recent Oscar win, could be crucial in securing the budget for the third film in the series. The new28 Years Latertrilogy, crafted by Boyle and original writer Alex Garland, has already seen its first two installments shot back-to-back for logistical and storytelling reasons. The first film,28 Years Later, is set to hit theaters on June 20, 2025. '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,' featuring Murphy's return, will follow shortly after, with a release date of January 16, 2026. The trilogy's new protagonist is an 11-year-old character named Spike, played by Alfie Williams, who will 'run right way through the films.' Other new cast members in28 Years Laterinclude Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. Cillian Murphy is also serving as an executive producer on the new films, indicating his deeper involvement in the franchise's revival.
