Filmmakers from Qatar set to shine at Ajyal

Doha

The talents of Qatar-based filmmakers are set to be celebrated once again at the third annual Ajyal Youth Film Festival, presented by Doha Film Institute (DFI), through its Made in Qatar section.

As part of this, 17 films will be screened across two programmes on December 2 (7pm) and 4 (7pm) at Katara.

This year’s Made in Qatar section, presented with the support of Tarsheed, will shine a spotlight on the work of Qatari filmmakers and those who call Qatar home, featuring nine narrative shorts and eight documentaries, some from returning filmmakers and others by new voices in the Qatari filmmaking community, according to a statement.

A jury of three eminent figures from the local and regional industry will determine the winners of the competitive section with two awards being presented for Best Short Narrative Film and Best Short Documentary Film.

The 2015 jury members are film producer Bassam al-Ibrahim (Qatar), CEO of Innovation Films and co-founder of ILoveQatar.net; film actress, director and producer Ahd (Saudi Arabia), internationally renowned for her performance in Haifaa al-Mansour’s ‘Wadjda’; and respected veteran journalist and media personality, Marcel Ghanem (Lebanon).

Fatma al-Remaihi, CEO of DFI and festival director of Ajyal, said: “This year’s Made in Qatar selection indicates the rapid growth and diversity that we are witnessing in the Qatari film industry.”

The films in the 2015 Ajyal Youth Film Festival Made in Qatar section are as follows: Programme 1, December 2 - ‘To My Mother’ by Amina al-Bloshi, ‘Light Sounds’ by Karem Kamel, ‘Her Majlis’ by Najla al-Khulaifi, Dana al-Mesnad and Nayla al-Thani, ‘The Palm Tree’ by Jassim al-Rumaihi, ‘Yellow Nights’ by Abdulla al-Mulla, ‘If They Only Knew’ by Sana al-Ansari, ‘Heart of the House’ by Gabrielle Sol and ‘The Notebook by Amna Albinali’; and Programme 2, December 4 – ‘Charlie’ by Ali Ali, ‘Immortalising Memories’ by Mostafa Sheshtawy, ‘Asfoora’ by Mayar Hamdan, ‘Good as New’ by Jaser Alagha, ‘I Choose Islam’ by Noor al-Tamimi, Silma Suba and Zac J Hollo, ‘Mariam’ by Zainab Ayon, ‘Time’ by Yassine Ouahrani, ‘Man of the House’ by Khalifa AlMarri and ‘Veganise It!’ by Khalid Salim.

Tickets are free of charge but should be reserved through the Ajyal box office, which opens on November 16, the statement notes. One can visit www.ajyalfilm.com for more details.

The third annual Ajyal Youth Film Festival will be held from November 29 to Dec 5 at Katara. The full programme will be announced on November 9.