Filmmaker Ali Ali from Bahrain at the red carpet ceremony for "Made in Qatar" yesterday at Katara - the Cultural Village. PICTURE: Najeer Feroke
Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter
Filmmakers in Doha have more opportunities to advance their career than “anywhere else,” Bahraini director Ali Ali told Gulf Times.
Ali is the director of New Day, a short film selected for the “Made in Qatar” section at the 2014 Ajyal Youth Film Festival. He had written, directed and filmed three short movies which were also selected in prestigious film festivals such as the Cannes.
“Filmmakers can come to Doha Film Institute and ask for the needed equipment. If your script need any treatment, they will help,” said Ali, who prefers to do comedy, romance and drama films.
At the red carpet ceremony for “Made in Qatar” short films, DFI yesterday launched a dedicated “Qatari Film Fund” to support short and feature filmmaking by Qataris in a bid to further strengthen the institute’s programmes for local talents.
Ali said DFI’s doors are open to aspiring filmmakers who want to pursue their passion. Its education department conducts seminars and trainings as part of its year-round workshops. He was also thankful to be part of Ajyal which highlighted the works of local filmmakers and talents.
“During the festival, you meet a lot of filmmakers and share your ideas,” he added. “When you finds out you have many things in common, you feel lively and refreshed."
After attending a film festival in Italy, the filmmaker said he was able to build friendship with some of the participants. He now has upcoming projects there.
Sharing his experiences in filming, Ali noted that casting is one of the biggest challenges he often face. One of the reasons he cited is because people in the country are shy to be on camera. “It took me nearly two years to find the right characters for my film,” he recalled.
Ali’s film, New Day, is a true story of a sick woman who fervently prays for help and received a life-changing news one day.
He said the original story was about his sister. But he failed to find the right actress and decided to change the story. “I was looking for an actress without a hijab.”
Asked if filmmaking in the Arab world is evolving, Ali compared it with art and music which have no language and boundaries.
Selections of “Made in Qatar” include not only Qatari filmmakers but also other nationalities and those who live in the country, according to female Qatari filmmaker Meriem Mesraoua.
“It is really voices of those who live in Doha, who experience Doha for themselves, and feel compelled to share their stories through film,” she added.
