Latest news with #QumraMasters
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Market In Focus: Qatari Filmmakers Line-Up Features As Doha Film Institute Marks 15th Anniversary — Qumra
The Doha Film Institute's 11th Qumra talent and project incubator gets underway on Friday, with the aim of nurturing 49 works across all formats supported by its grants program. Some 350 international film and TV industry professionals will touch down in the Qatari capital from April 4 to 9 to advise and network with the emerging filmmakers behind the projects. More from Deadline 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 Walter Salles, Johnnie To, Lav Diaz, Darius Khondji & Anna Terrazas Named As 2025 Qumra Masters This year's selection marks a milestone for the institute, which celebrates its 15th anniversary later this year, for the strong selection of projects by Qatari nationals or long-time Qatar residents, including five features. Most advanced among these is A.J. Al-Thani's drama Sari & Amira about a Bedouin couple living in the lawless deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, who steal a relic with the potential to transform their lives but also unleash destructive ancient forces. Pursued by a ruthless warlord and a battalion of British soldiers, they set off on a perilous journey to uncover the treasure's truth. Other feature projects by Qatari nationals include Noor Al-Nasr's drama The Pearl, about a tech-obsessed Qatari teen who travels back in time to the era of pearl diving, and documentary essay Jodari Meno by Jamal Rashid Al-Khanji, exploring his personal journey as he pursues his passion for the underwater world through spearfishing, shot in Qatar, Zanzibar and Italy. Projects by long-time Qatari residents with strong DFI connections – Love 45 by Syrian-French director Anas Khalaf, who has lived in Doha since 2012, after fleeing Damascus due to the political situation, and Cotton Queen by Sudanese-Russian filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani – also feature in the selection. In other formats, Doha-based Palestinian filmmaker and screenwriter Dana J. Atrach will present drama series Task Force: Apocalypse!, revolving around the imaginary Imperial Government of Bakalawi's flawed attempt to encourage 'eco- friendly' practices in the face of a looming fresh water shortage. Another 12 Qatari short projects will also be presented at the meeting including Amna Al-Binali's drama Inside the White Canvas about a young woman struggling to earn her father's approval as her curiosity about the outside world grows, and Mohammed D. Fakhro's Rumor Has It, about a Qatari food blogger who subscribes to an AI app that promises to earn him more followers. DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Al Remaihi says the institute has been instrumental in laying the foundations for Qatar's emerging film and television industry by fostering local talent, supporting homegrown productions, and training hundreds of national talents annually. A.J. Al-Thani, for example, got her first taste of filmmaking through early DFI workshops in 2010, with the institute then supporting her short films Kashta and The Black Veil. They are among 65 films by Qatari filmmakers supported by the DFI to date, but Al Remaihi says the organization's work goes beyond funding. 'The ecosystem we've created is comprehensive and includes education, training, networking, and platforms for exhibiting work and facilitating global collaborations,' she says. 'We've strong established industry partnerships with some of the most prestigious global film and culture organisations to further develop a highly skilled creative community in Qatar and the region, bridging the gap between the east and the west,' she adds. Upcoming educational workshops, for example, include the Producers Lab, in collaboration with European producer body EAVE and with the support of the Royal Jordanian Film Commission, and the editing focused program overseen by First Cut Lab. In the backdrop an organic film and TV ecosystem is also taking shape. Al-Thani's Sari & Amira is being produced by burgeoning Qatari production house Katara Studios, headed by Ahmed Al-Baker, another local film and TV pioneer, who is credited with making the territory's feature film, the 2010 sci-fi, 3D thriller The Package: Volume 1. Initially producing under the banner of Innovation Production, Al-Baker is now the head of Katara Studios, with his credits directing The Pact for Roku and creating sci-fi drama Medinah for Starzplay. Sari & Amira is among a quartet of features currently on the go at the studio alongside biopic Sakhr, about late Kuwaiti tech pioneer Mohammed Al-Sharekh; Mohammed Al Ibrahim's mystery thriller Sa3oud Wainah and documentary Anne Everlasting about Anne Lorimor who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro at 89-years-old to reclaim her title as the oldest person to scale the summit. Al-Thani and Al-Baker will be at Qumra with Katara Studios Senior Vice President Luca Bercovici. 'We complement each other,' comments Bercovici on the company's relationship with the DFI. Sa3oud Wainah director Al Ibrahim, who is also Senior Content Developer at Katara Studios, and in-house film editor Maryam Al-Sahli reveal that they also cut their filmmaking teeth at the DFI, followed by a stint at Doha-based Al Jazeera Children, which has since rebranded as Jeem TV. 'Maryam and I were involved with the DFI almost from its initiation. We started out making short films back in the day. I made two shorts, Land of Pearls and Bidoon, before branching out into other outlets,' says Al Ibrahim. Billed by Katara Studios as as Qatar's first commercial film, Al Ibrahim's debut Sa3oud Wainah is currently in post-production for a planned pan-Arab release later this year. 'I think there is a hunger for local content,' says Al Ibrahim. 'Whether they will go and see it in local theaters or on a platform remains to be seen but it will create buzz, that's for sure.' 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Broadcast Pro
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Doha Film Institute unveils Qumra Masters for 2025 industry event
The Doha Film Institute has announced the distinguished global filmmakers who will serve as Qumra Masters for the 11th edition of its annual industry event, scheduled to take place from April 4 to April 9, 2025. Recognised as a premier talent incubator in the Arab world, Qumra provides invaluable support to first and second-time filmmakers from the region and beyond. The initiative fosters industry connections, mentorship, and collaboration by linking emerging filmmakers with some of cinema's most esteemed visionaries. The 2025 Qumra Masters include filmmakers Lav Diaz, Darius Khondji, Walter Salles, Anna Terrazas and Johnnie To. Through one-on-one mentorship and insightful discussions, these industry luminaries will guide participants in refining their artistic approach and enhancing their filmmaking skills. Lav Diaz, a pioneer of slow cinema, is known for his contemplative storytelling and monochrome aesthetic, exploring themes of human endurance and socio-political struggles. Cinematographer Darius Khondji has earned acclaim for his mastery of light and composition, crafting visually striking narratives in films such as Amour and The Immigrant. Walter Salles, celebrated for The Motorcycle Diaries and I'm Still Here, brings his profound storytelling style, often centered on themes of memory, displacement and identity. Costume designer Anna Terrazas, known for her work in Roma and Spectre, seamlessly integrates cultural authenticity with artistic creativity. Johnnie To, an acclaimed genre-bending filmmaker behind Election and Exiled, is recognised for his gripping narratives exploring themes of fate, loyalty and morality. Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: 'We are truly honoured to welcome some of the world's most celebrated creatives Lav Diaz, Darius Khondji, Walter Salles, Anna Terrazas and Johnnie To as Qumra Masters, joining the legacy of iconic storytellers who have supported us on our mission to empower important voices in film. Their artistry, innovation, and commitment to storytelling have left an indelible mark on world cinema. By sharing their knowledge and experience with our Qumra participants, they will inspire a new generation to refine their craft, and tell bold enduring stories that will shape the future of cinema.' Elia Suleiman, Artistic Advisor at Doha Film Institute, added: 'Cinema is not just the stories we tell, but the silences in between—the spaces where meaning lingers. At Qumra, these silences resonate loudly, where emerging voices are amplified by the wisdom of the Qumra Masters. It is a place of transformation, where the future of film is not dictated, but discovered.' Now in its 11th year, Qumra continues to solidify its role as a vital hub for independent filmmakers, offering an array of masterclasses, industry meetings and mentorship sessions. The event also features public Qumra Master Classes, providing access to expert insights and Qumra Screenings, showcasing regional and international films supported by the Doha Film Institute. Further details about the programme and guest participants will be revealed soon.
