The Ninth Ajyal Film Festival, presented by the Doha Film Institute (DFI) is saluting the determination and resilience of the Palestinians through an Ajyal Art Exhibition held at Sikkat Wadi Msheireb from November 8 to December 18.
Drawing inspiration from the Al-Kurd family living in the embattled Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, this year’s exhibit ‘We Will Not Leave’ derives its name from their defiant and now iconic graffiti art.
Curated by Sheikh Khalifa al-Thani, the multi-media exhibit presents the works of 27 artists who express the harsh realities of the Palestinians through powerful brushstrokes and creative modes of modern expression.
The exhibition is open to the public for free from 10am to 10pm daily and from 2pm to 10pm on Fridays.
The event is complemented with the Artists Exhibition Talks, that will shine a light on important topics related to the struggle, from November 8 to 13, also available to the public at no charge, at Sikkat Wadi Msheireb.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, festival director and chief executive officer, DFI said: “The exhibition will bring attention to the everyday struggle of the Palestinian people – through moving pieces by Qatar’s creative community, who have come together in a spirit of solidarity, support and kinship for our Palestinian brother’s and sister’s to present a sensory experience that manifests both the poignant beauty and affecting hardships of their current subjugation,” she added.
Participating artists include: Jumanah Abbas, Abdullah Ahmadi, Hanof Ahmed, Ibrahim AlBaker, Shaikha al-Elaiwy, AlAnoud al-Ghamdi, Reem al-Haddad, Anfal al-Kandari, Sharefa al-Mannai, Saad al-Mslamani, Noof al-Naama, Amira Alnamla, Hazem Asif, Maryam al-Tajer, Buthaina al- Zaman, Nour El-Basuni, Sumaia El Kilani, Yousef Fakhroo, Ahmad Tariq Hamad, Obada Jarbi, Fatima Javed, Arman Mansouri, Hayyan Monawar, Lana Shaheen, Tanya Shamil, Haytham Sharrouf and Mala Waseem.
In addition to the Ajyal Art Exhibition, the Artists Exhibition Talks will be headlined by In Conversation between acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker, Elia Suleiman - who has used film to tell melancholy tales of his roots touched with inimitable irony and humour, and film producer Jovan Marjanovic, on November 8 at 7pm.
Palestinian-British Farah Nabulsi, whose award-winning film The Present, supported by DFI, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film will discuss “Cinematic Hope: The Present and Future of Palestinian Filmmaking”, moderated by Rafia Hussain Oraidi on November 10 at 7pm.
Palestinian journalist Muna Hawa, Time magazine 100 most influential people of 2021-journalist and Sheikh Jarrah activist Muna El-Kurd and researcher Tarek Bakri will be the speakers for “Amplified Voices: The Rise of Digital Advocacy” on November 11 at 5pm, moderated by Salam Hindawi.
Filmmaker and visual storyteller Ala Hamdan will discuss “Inescapable Truth: Palestine Online” on November 12 at 7pm. The talk will be moderated by Emmy nominated journalist and Palestinian activist, Ahmed Shihab Eldin. Journalist and poet Sana Uqba will moderate a public open mic evening titled “The Poetry of Palestine” on November 18 at 7pm.
Curated by Sheikh Khalifa al-Thani, the multi-media exhibit presents the works of 27 artists who express the harsh realities of the Palestinians through powerful brushstrokes and creative modes of modern expression.
The exhibition is open to the public for free from 10am to 10pm daily and from 2pm to 10pm on Fridays.
The event is complemented with the Artists Exhibition Talks, that will shine a light on important topics related to the struggle, from November 8 to 13, also available to the public at no charge, at Sikkat Wadi Msheireb.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, festival director and chief executive officer, DFI said: “The exhibition will bring attention to the everyday struggle of the Palestinian people – through moving pieces by Qatar’s creative community, who have come together in a spirit of solidarity, support and kinship for our Palestinian brother’s and sister’s to present a sensory experience that manifests both the poignant beauty and affecting hardships of their current subjugation,” she added.
Participating artists include: Jumanah Abbas, Abdullah Ahmadi, Hanof Ahmed, Ibrahim AlBaker, Shaikha al-Elaiwy, AlAnoud al-Ghamdi, Reem al-Haddad, Anfal al-Kandari, Sharefa al-Mannai, Saad al-Mslamani, Noof al-Naama, Amira Alnamla, Hazem Asif, Maryam al-Tajer, Buthaina al- Zaman, Nour El-Basuni, Sumaia El Kilani, Yousef Fakhroo, Ahmad Tariq Hamad, Obada Jarbi, Fatima Javed, Arman Mansouri, Hayyan Monawar, Lana Shaheen, Tanya Shamil, Haytham Sharrouf and Mala Waseem.
In addition to the Ajyal Art Exhibition, the Artists Exhibition Talks will be headlined by In Conversation between acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker, Elia Suleiman - who has used film to tell melancholy tales of his roots touched with inimitable irony and humour, and film producer Jovan Marjanovic, on November 8 at 7pm.
Palestinian-British Farah Nabulsi, whose award-winning film The Present, supported by DFI, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film will discuss “Cinematic Hope: The Present and Future of Palestinian Filmmaking”, moderated by Rafia Hussain Oraidi on November 10 at 7pm.
Palestinian journalist Muna Hawa, Time magazine 100 most influential people of 2021-journalist and Sheikh Jarrah activist Muna El-Kurd and researcher Tarek Bakri will be the speakers for “Amplified Voices: The Rise of Digital Advocacy” on November 11 at 5pm, moderated by Salam Hindawi.
Filmmaker and visual storyteller Ala Hamdan will discuss “Inescapable Truth: Palestine Online” on November 12 at 7pm. The talk will be moderated by Emmy nominated journalist and Palestinian activist, Ahmed Shihab Eldin. Journalist and poet Sana Uqba will moderate a public open mic evening titled “The Poetry of Palestine” on November 18 at 7pm.