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Doha Film Institute (DFI) announced globally celebrated visionaries - Faouzi Bensaïdi, Gael García Bernal, Alice Diop, Diego Luna and Gustavo Santaolalla - as Qumra Masters for its 12th annual talent incubator event, taking place from March 27-April 1.Reinforcing Qumra’s standing as the Arab world’s premier platform for creative mentorship and cinematic development, the 2026 Masters will share creative perspectives forged across their distinguished careers—guiding a new generation of filmmakers as they develop bold, original work.A cornerstone of DFI’s mission, Qumra supports filmmakers from the region and beyond, connecting them with leading international artists and industry experts through intensive mentorship, masterclasses and professional exchange.For over a decade, Qumra has played a decisive role in nurturing independent voices and expanding the global reach of thought-provoking cinema.Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of DFI, said: “Qumra was created to ensure that emerging filmmakers are not only supported, but truly seen — artistically, professionally and globally. Welcoming these luminaries as our 2026 Qumra Masters reflects our belief that generous mentorship can change creative trajectories. Their commitment to storytelling, cultural dialogue and artistic courage will have a lasting impact on the filmmakers they engage with, and on the stories that will shape cinema’s future.“Gael García Bernal’s return to Qumra is especially meaningful, having been a Master in the very first edition. Over 12 editions, Qumra has grown in scale, ambition and global reach, becoming a space defined by creative exchange, generosity and momentum”.**media[417579]**Masterful Moroccan filmmaker and actor Faouzi Bensaïdi crafts films of quiet tension and dark wit, where precise form and human fragility reveal the poetry of everyday disquiet; influential actor-director-producer whose career spans landmark independent cinema and global mainstream projects, Gael García Bernal consistently champions socially driven storytelling; acclaimed filmmaker Alice Diop, whose rigorously observed documentaries and award-winning narrative work have positioned her as a defining voice in contemporary European cinema; a leading actor, director and producer, Diego Luna’s body of work bridges auteur cinema and major studio productions, while advancing Latino representation across global platforms; and a composer of rare emotional restraint, Gustavo Santaolalla has created some of the most haunting sonic landscapes across film, television and music.Elia Suleiman, artistic adviser at DFI, said: "Cinema begins where certainty ends. It exists in the tension between what is seen and what is felt, offering a language beyond image”.The 12th edition of Qumra will feature masterclasses, one-on-one mentorship sessions and curated industry meetings, offering participants rare access to creative and expert guidance from across the global film ecosystem. Further programme and guest details will be announced in the coming weeks. 

The final phase of Qatar’s 25-year cultural plan features ambitious global projects designed to strengthen the nation’s position as a hub for art and innovation, according to Qatar Museums (QM) Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.“Over the next decade, we will be introducing one project after another to continue to build a knowledge-based economy and support the growth of the creative economy,” she said in her keynote address marking the Qatar Creates anniversary season at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ).The keynote was delivered against a backdrop of institutional milestones, including the 50th anniversary of the NMoQ, the 20th anniversary of the QM, and the 15th anniversaries of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Doha Film Institute (DFI).HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said that the plan involves three major institutions, which will further globalise the country’s cultural impact: the Qatar Auto Museum, the Lusail Museum, and the Art Mill Museum.These projects, she said, “hold two of the world’s most extensive and diverse collections”.The QM chairperson said that these museums will be amplified by the upcoming Art Basel Qatar, scheduled for February 2026, which signifies a major push into the international art market.HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said the Lusail Museum, designed by Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron and situated on Al Maha Island, will house the extensive collection of Orientalist art.Beyond a repository, it is envisioned as an institute where international scholars and artists convene to explore East-West connections.On Doha’s waterfront, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said that architect Alejandro Aravena and his firm Elemental are transforming an industrial flour mill into the Art Mill Museum.This project, she pointed out, is planned to be “more than a museum”, serving as a vibrant creative village for art, craft, and design, facilitating connections between local and international creative communities.“Over the past two decades, we have been able to invest in both our hardware and software,” HE Sheikha Al Mayassa continued. “The hardware being the buildings, such as the one hosting us now, and the software being the talented people who bring our dreams to life.”She stressed that the future focus must be on cultivating this “software”, the creatives and innovators within the ecosystem, to build the knowledge economy.The core mission of the new strategy, she added, remains supporting local talent and growing the creative economy, extending the reach of existing platforms like the DFI, the Fire Station, and M7.“Culture is no longer a separate sphere, it is inseparable from our social, economic and environmental development,” said HE Sheikha Al Mayassa, who led the celebration of recent activities highlighting Qatari creatives. “It is the heart of our nation uniting our diverse communities.”These include the Liwan Open Studios and the inauguration of the Fashion Trust Arabia exhibition, “Threads of Impact”, which brought more than 80 designers to Doha.She noted that even the children’s focus is rooted in creativity and community health, pointing to the Dadu Children’s Museum of Qatar and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sport Museum.According to HE Sheikha Al Mayassa, the Children’s Museum will work with artists from the Fire Station, reinforcing the strategy of “globalising the local and localising the global”.She also underlined the nation’s cultural achievements under the banner of a new 18-month campaign, “Evolution Nation”, marking 50 years since the founding of the NMoQ.

Doha Film Institute (DFI) today announced that the 2025 Doha Film Festival will open with "The Voice of Hind Rajab" (Tunisia, France) by award-winning director Kaouther Ben Hania, marking a powerful start to Qatar's spotlight of global cinema.A recipient of the Institute's grants program, the profound film captures the final moments of an innocent child, Hind Rajab, whose voice shook the conscience of the world. Hind's story is not just one of unimaginable loss, it is a testament to courage, a reminder of the human cost of silence, and a call for compassion that transcends borders.The film won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the recently concluded 82nd Venice Film Festival.DFI stated that choosing this powerful film to open the festival affirms its belief in cinema as a force that can pierce through indifference, carry voices across continents, and remind us of our shared humanity. This selection reflects the Institute's mission to champion truth, give voice to the unheard, and boldly confront the realities that shape our world.Fatma Hassan Alremiahi, Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer of DFI, said: "To open our festival with The Voice of Hind Rajab is to honour truth — fragile, heartbreaking, and urgent. Hind's voice, trembling yet unyielding, speaks to every one of us.It is the story of all the children, women, and men of Palestine whose lives have been shattered by the violent aggression of the Israeli occupation and whose resilience continues to inspire global conscience." This powerful film demonstrates cinema's unique role in amplifying voices that matter, reflecting the pain and courage of the Palestinian people, and the extraordinary efforts of the unsung heroes who tried to save an innocent child. "By honouring Hind's memory and that of countless others, we hope to awaken empathy, inspire justice, and remind the world that no story, however painful, should be left untold," she added.The Voice of Hind Rajab integrates actual emergency call recordings with scripted performances in recreating the harrowing period when the young Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, was trapped in a car under military fire. Hollywood luminaries, including Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Alfonso Cuaron have joined on board as Executive Producers, and the film will represent Tunisia at the 98th Academy Awards. Ben Hania has established herself as one of the Arab world's most compelling filmmakers. Her remarkable works have garnered international acclaim. Taking place from November 20-28 2025, Doha Film Festival (DFF) represents the bold next chapter in Doha Film Institute's mission to nurture regional talent and champion urgent and authentic stories in cinema.The festival will transform iconic locations across Doha, including Katara Cultural Village, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and the Museum of Islamic Art, into vibrant hubs of cultural exchange, bringing together filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences from every corner of the globe, to reaffirm art's power to heal, to unite, and to spotlight voices that deepen our shared understanding.