MIRAMAX ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH DOHA FILM INSTITUTE TO ELEVATE ARABIC-LANGUAGE STORYTELLING - Middle East Business News and Information
DOHA, QATAR – August 2025 – Miramax, the award-winning global film and television studio owned by beIN MEDIA GROUP (beIN) and Paramount Global, announced today the DFI x Miramax Writer's Program, a major partnership with Doha Film Institute (DFI) aimed at supporting the development of premium, local Arabic-language content across the Middle East and North Africa. The program will provide training, mentorship, and production and distribution resources for both emerging and established Arab writers, offering critical support for their projects, contributing to the expansion of the region's series content output, and strengthening Qatar's position as a leading media hub in the Middle East.
The DFI x Miramax Writer's Program will involve the selection of up to five local and regional projects to develop each year. The Writer's Program will tie into DFI's existing Series Programs, with the goal of extending the reach and impact of these initiatives. The collaboration between Miramax, renowned for its film & television productions, and DFI, the leading film institute in the Middle East, addresses a key gap in the region's media industry by offering not only development support but also direct access to Miramax's vast distribution and sales network to reach audiences worldwide.
'At Miramax, we believe great storytelling knows no borders,' said CEO, Jonathan Glickman. 'This partnership with DFI is a powerful step toward amplifying emerging Arabic-language voices and sharing their stories with audiences worldwide.'
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of DFI said, 'At Doha Film Institute, we believe in the transformative power of storytelling to unite, inspire, and celebrate cultural identity. Our partnership with Miramax marks an exciting new chapter in championing original Arabic-language content that reflects the depth and diversity of our region. By creating compelling stories in our own voice, we not only preserve our heritage but also bring communities closer together through the universal language of cinema.'
Miramax has had a standout year across both film and television, with highlights including Academy Award®-nominated The Holdovers; The Beekeeper (which grossed over $160 million worldwide); indie-hit Strange Darling ; Golden Globe-nominated series The Gentlemen which launched in March 2024 ranking #1 for three weeks on Netflix and was renewed for a second season; and the fourth installment of the Bridget Jones franchise – Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy , which premiered February 14, 2025. Upcoming Miramax projects include: Roofman , starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst and Peter Dinklage, set to premiere October 10, 2025, with Paramount Pictures distributing domestically and in the UK; the next installment in the Scary Movie franchise, set to premiere Summer 2026, distributed globally by Paramount Pictures, with Marlon, Shawn, and Keenen Ivory Wayans writing and producing; Colman Domingo's directorial debut Scandalous , starring Sydney Sweeney and David Jonsson; and The Faculty remake, being written by breakout talent Drew Hancock.
About MIRAMAX:
A beIN MEDIA GROUP and Paramount company headquartered in Los Angeles, MIRAMAX is a global film and television studio best known for its award-winning, original films.
Led by Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Glickman, MIRAMAX is one of the most active and robust independent film and television studios. Recent and upcoming film projects include the fourth installment of the Bridget Jones franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (which grossed $130 million internationally); gearing up to make the sequel to the hit film The Beekeeper (which grossed more than $160 million worldwide), with Jason Statham returning and Timo Tjahjanto directing; Roofman , starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst and Peter Dinklage, set to premiere October 10 , 2025; 4 Kids Walk into a Bank starring Liam Neeson and directed by Frankie Shaw; Colman Domingo's directorial debut Scandalous , starring Sydney Sweeney and David Jonsson; The Faculty remake, being written by breakout talent Drew Hancock; and the next installment in the Scary Movie franchise, set to premiere Summer 2026, distributed globally by Paramount Pictures, with Marlon, Shawn, and Keenen Ivory Wayans writing and producing.
The studio's growing slate of global television content includes the series adaptation of Guy Ritchie's feature film for MIRAMAX, The Gentlemen , which spent three weeks as Netflix's top-performing English-language show globally and is currently in production for season two. Projects in development include the TV adaptation of Cop Land, with the film's director James Mangold attached; Shall We Dance , with Jennifer Lopez attached to produce; The Key Man , a limited series based on the acclaimed book about disgraced financier Arif Naqvi; and an adaptation of the 2024 Oscar-winning film The Holdovers , with Alexander Payne involved. MIRAMAX is also developing series based on the critically acclaimed and commercially successful films Gangs of New York , Chocolat, Prêt-à-Porter and The English Patient . The studio also secured television rights to the blockbuster Halloween franchise, with additional projects in development internationally.
Miramax films have received 278 Academy Award® nominations and 68 Oscars®, including four Best Picture awards.
About Doha Film Institute:
Doha Film Institute is an independent, not-for-profit cultural organisation. It supports the growth of the local film community through cultivating film appreciation, enhancing industry knowledge and contributing to the development of sustainable creative industries in Qatar. The Institute's platforms include funding and production of local, regional and international films; skills-sharing and mentorship programmes; film screenings; and specialised film events. With culture, community, learning and entertainment at its foundation, the Institute is committed to supporting Qatar's 2030 vision for the development of a knowledge-based economy.
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