‘Qumra opens doors to new ideas, valuable connections’

Qumra, the new industry event by Doha Film Institute (DFI), concluded yesterday following six days of mentorship labs, master classes, working breakfast sessions, tailored one-on-one meetings and group tutorials.Qatari filmmakers who attended Qumra were optimistic about the event opening doors to new opportunities that are even more accessible to them now – be it co-production opportunities, story consultation, sales and distribution or securing a foot in international film festivals.In all, 29 projects by Qatari, Arab and international filmmakers were selected for Qumra, offering filmmakers an unprecedented opportunity to network with more than 100 industry delegates representing all stakeholder groups in the industry and from around the world. For the public, Qumra also presented the opportunity to watch accomplished films by Qumra Masters representing some of the leading voices in world cinema today, who led a series of master classes, alongside works by emerging talent under the New Voices in Cinema segment. Throughout the week, filmmakers attached to the 10 Qatari projects in development also participated in individual Meet the Master mentoring sessions with Gael Garc?a Bernal, Cristian Mungiu, Abderrahmane Sissako, Elia Suleiman and Danis Tanovi?.Creating a compact meeting place where meetings between filmmakers were the foremost priority, the inaugural edition of Qumra has set a new regional model for promoting the new generation of talent by offering “a genuine platform for networking”, said industry delegates. The true impact of the event will unfold in the coming months as filmmakers return to their drawing boards to approach their projects with a fresh perspective from the knowledge they have gleaned from industry experts.Qatari filmmaker Hend Fakhroo said, “I am going to put to use all the input I have gained from Qumra.” The fascinating aspect of Qumra was that she could meet with accomplished industry professionals, who are beyond reach and approach otherwise, “to ask anything about films. Where else can I get the opportunity to have an Oscar-winning veteran combing my script?”Her project Parijat, about a Qatari woman rising up to the challenges of running a family perfume business, was one of the Qumra projects. Nora al-Subai, whose adventure/fantasy project Beyond was mentored at Qumra, said the event served as a “bridge between Qatari and international cinema”. Khalifa al-Muraikhi, currently in pre-production with Sahaab, about a group of friends lost in the desert and struggling to retrieve their falcon, said Qumra offered a strong platform to learn more about all aspects of film but more importantly, it was “a give and take” where Qatari filmmakers and the visiting professionals learnt from each other. Writer/director Shaikha al-Thani whose feature narrative project Little River is in development, said Qumra has been incredible. “I have learned so much from other writers and directors and also learned about the technical and business aspects from producers, sales agents and distributors on how the system works.”Mohamed al-Mahmeed, whose project Superpower is about a dysfunctional family trying to find happiness, said: “Qumra expanded the possibility of how I can take my world further beyond.” With his film Old Airport Road screening in the New Voices in Cinema section, and another, Green Eyes - about the tireless struggle of a coma patient - selected as one of the Qumra Projects in development, Abdullah al-Mulla said the most compelling part of Qumra was that it helped him gain an understanding of the non-creative part of filmmaking – aspects that had tired him and even affected his health. Meriem Mesraoua, whose project Our Time is Running Out explores what happens to children and their simplicity when they grow up, said Qumra offered her the platform to have “in-depth discussions with experts and gain their feedback”.Haifaa al-Mansour, the director of the ground-breaking film Wadjda, the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, who mentored talents at Qumra said the event “represents the real effort to plant the seeds of good cinema”.She described Qumra as a major hub for cinema in the Gulf region to rise and accomplish progress. Qatari female students, Aisha al-Shammakh, Haya Alramel, Ohod BaniNassr and Shoug Shaheen, from Qatar University, eager to make their mark as directors, attended the sessions and are now inspired to continue working on their dream projects with new learnings. They hope to be at the next Ajyal Youth Film Festival as filmmakers, taking cues on making great cinema from Qumra.