Doha Film Institute (DFI) is set to host a special programme of films and master classes that explore the representation of spaceships in cinema.
The institute’s screening programme from October 15 to 17 at Katara Drama Theatre will showcase a selection of films depicting spacecraft, including Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Yakov Protazanov’s Aelita: Queen of Mars, a director’s cut of Ridley Scott’s Alien, Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris and Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Robert Wise.
Since the 1960s, major science fiction films have succeeded in pulling in large audience shares and films of this genre have become a regular staple of the global film industry.
To discuss the history of the genre and its increasing prominence, the programme will include a two-part master class with industry professional Richard Pena, professor of Film Studies at Columbia University, from 2pm to 5pm on October 16 and 17 at Katara Drama Theatre.
The master classes will offer a survey of science fiction in cinema, its evolution over the years and its relevance in today’s world with the advancements in modern technology. The first part will focus on the history of the genre while the second will explore science fiction in contemporary cinema.
Each master class will be illustrated with clips from a wide range of films.
While Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (UK, US/1968) covers a wide range of the genre’s themes and is one of the most important and beloved science fiction films ever made, Protazanov’s Aelita: Queen of Mars (USSR/1924) is an important work that was heavily criticised by the Soviet authorities at the time of its release.
Scott’s Alien (director’s cut) (US, UK/2003), a hit with critics and a worldwide box office success, strikes the right balance of horror and sci-fi, while Solaris (USSR/1972) by Tarkovsky is a treatise on the difficulty of communication, not only between sentient beings of different species but among all of humanity.
Wise’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture (US/1979) marks one of the most exciting moments in the history of motion pictures for the legions of fans of the beloved USS Enterprise.
For more details, one can visit www.dohafilminstitute.com
