As part of Qatar-Brazil Year of Culture, Doha
Film Institute will screen some outstanding
Brazilian shorts in the coming weekend
Staff Reporter
The annual celebration of the Qatar-Brazil Year of Culture 2014 will just get a lot more interesting as the Doha Film Institute (DFI) will screen a sparkling showcase of Brazilian short films on September 25 and 26 at the Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA) Auditorium at 7pm.
Organised in partnership with the Qatar Museums, the Brazil Cinema Showcase is presented by the DFI every month, underlining the year-long cultural collaboration between Qatar and Brazil to build a legacy of artistic exchange. This month, the Institute screens five short films – The Boy at the Five, The Mai Brothers, Sana, The Comforting Hand and To Sleep Quietly. All films are screened with Arabic and English subtitles.
Directed by Marcelo Matos de Oliveira and Wallace Nogueira, The Boy at the Five (Menino do Cinco, 2013, 20 mins, PG-15) has won 23 awards, and has been screened in 63 film festivals in 22 countries. It narrates the story of Ricardo, a vulnerable, lonely boy who finds a puppy that belongs to Téo, a homeless kid. Ricardo will do anything to stay with his new and only friend, while Téo fights to recover what belongs to him.
The Mai Brothers (Os Irmãos Mai, 2013, 19 mins, PG-13) by award-winning filmmaker Thais Fujinaga, charts the journey of two brothers who go through the city centre in search of a birthday gift for their grandmother – but the more they walk, the further they seem from achieving their goal.
The documentary Sanã (2013, 18 mins, PG) is directed by Marcos Pimentel, who has several creative documentaries to his credit. Set in the backcountry of the Brazilian state of Maranhão, it brings to screen the life of a boy searching for something amid the immensity of the landscape.
The Comforting Hand (A Mão que Afaga, 2012, 20 mins, PG-13), is a fantasy film directed by Gabriela Amaral Almeida. It depicts the life of Estela, a telemarketing operator, who plans a party for her only child’s ninth birthday that has minimal chances of success.
Directed by Juliana Rojas, To Sleep Quietly (Pra Eu Dormir Tranquilo, 2011, 15 mins, PG-15) is a horror film that tells the story of Luis, whose nanny died a few weeks earlier. When the nanny reappears, hidden in the closet, Luis must go to great lengths to satisfy her hunger.
Tickets are priced QR35, and students receive discounted rates of only QR25 on presenting a valid student ID. While the tickets are now available online at www.dohafilminstitute.com, they can also be purchased on September 24, Wednesday from 10.30am to 5.30pm, on September 25, Thursday from 12 to 8pm, and on September 26, from 2 to 8pm at the MIA DFI Ticket Outlet, across the MIA Auditorium.
Meanwhile, the DFI has also opened registration for young jurors who will evaluate the films screened at the second Ajyal Youth Film Festival, to be held from December 1 to 6 at Katara. Youth aged eight to 21 years can register to become part of the Doha Film Experience at the Ajyal Youth Film Festival. To become a young juror, register online at www. dohafilminstitute.com/dfe.
Registration is open until November 4, 2014. In addition to judging films, they will take part in special workshops and discussions with film directors, actors and technicians.
Fatma al-Remaihi, Acting CEO of the Doha Film Institute and Director of the Ajyal Youth Film Festival, said: “The Doha Film Experience is at the heart of our Ajyal Youth Film Festival. It offers young people the opportunity to become part of a truly global festival, discuss ideas and issues relevant to their lives and above all, develop an appreciation for quality cinema. Our youth jury reflects the essence of the Festival as one that showcases the best in creativity by talented filmmakers around the world and sparks dialogue between generations.”
The inaugural Ajyal Youth Film Festival juries were made up of more than 400 young jurors of 45 nationalities. They took part in evaluating the films screened in the competition and gained tremendous insight into the newest trends in filmmaking.
The youth become part of one of three Doha Film Experience juries based on their age, with films in the sections selected according to age-appropriateness.
