As well as a feature doc by Iraqi actress and filmmaker Zahraa Ghandour, a web series by Palestinian storyteller Amer Shomali, Damien Ounouri’s and Adila Bendimerad’s follow up to festival fave ‘The Last Queen’, and shorts by Qatari talents Mahdi Ali Ali and Majid Al-Remaihi.
It is that time of year again, when the Doha Film Institute releases their list of Fall Grantees, projects across all platforms of visual storytelling supported by the Institute in different stages of development. This time around, the list is so extensive that I needed to take a couple of days to fully go through it and understand it.
What I got so far, I’ll need to study it again of course and will probably learn more on the ground in April, when some of them will be participating in the DFI’s industry incubator Qumra — inshallah— is that there are 47 projects with 21 projects by women filmmakers and 21 returning grantees, which demonstrate DFI’s ongoing support for important voices. Personally, I can vouch for their “ongoing support” commitment, as the DFI has never lost an opportunity to come to my aid, in both my personal and writing life. When the HuffPost suddenly and unceremoniously fired all of us writers in January of 2018, the DFI’s press office extended an invitation to come join them for Qumra that year… Even while I didn’t have a platform where to place the coverage. Recently, they have flattered me further by inviting me to mentor upcoming filmmakers in the art of media etiquette during Qumra. It has been a journey of mutual appreciation, I guarantee you, as their commitment to filmmaking and creating a positive environment for young voices to flourish has been unrelenting.
“Our grants programme is a cornerstone of our mission to support filmmakers in realizing their artistic potential and telling stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.”
The DFI Grants program is the longest-serving film development initiative in the region, which nurtures first and second-time filmmakers as well as acclaimed directors from across the world. For the 2024 Fall Grants cycle, 47 projects from 23 nations that span a range of genres, including narrative, documentary, experimental films and series content, highlighting the Institute’s dedication to fostering creativity and cinematic excellence. The grants aim to empower filmmakers by providing the resources they need to bring their unique visions to life.
In addition to an unprecedented 11 projects, including feature narratives and documentaries by Qatari and Qatar-based talent, the projects hail from across the globe and include filmmakers from Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mexico, Morocco, Palestine, Spain and Tunisia.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, the CEO of the Doha Film Institute, commented: “Our grants programme is a cornerstone of our mission to support filmmakers in realizing their artistic potential and telling stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.” She continued, pointing out that “over the years, DFI Grants have enabled the script-to-screen journey of over 850 important projects in cinema from across the world, that has contributed to the advancement of cinema and the empowerment of underrepresented voices. The recipients of this cycle represent a remarkable blend of talent, vision, and cultural richness, who will continue to drive progression of the industry to new heights. We are proud to champion these projects and look forward to seeing them come to fruition.”
Some of the past grantees have included Moroccan helmer Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother of All Lies, which was shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 2024 Academy Awards and Bye Bye Tiberias, a documentary by Lina Soualem, which was Palestine's entry for the 2024 Academy Award for Best International Feature.
Please read below for the complete list of grantees:
MENA - Feature Narrative – Development
Amara (Denmark, France, Lebanon, Qatar) by Michelle Keserwany, is about Darine, a vibrant woman in her mid-thirties who works at a small, politicised radio station in Beirut, where she hosts the morning show.
Camera Obscura (Egypt, Germany, Qatar) by Viola Shafik, which is set towards the end of the 1883 cholera epidemic and the onset of the British protectorate in Egypt.
Rock, Paper, Sea (Egypt, Qatar) by Randa Ali, a coming-of-age story set by the Egyptian Mediterranean in the summer of 2001.
The Good Spirit (Palestine, UK, Qatar) by Razan Madhoon, follows Noor, a 22-year-old strong-willed resident of Gaza who discovers an injured stray dog.
MENA - Feature Narrative – Production
In Memory of Times to Come (Palestine, Denmark, Malta, UK, Qatar) by Larissa Sansour, which is set 30 years after an eco-apocalypse, when Alia and her husband Elias lead a peaceful life in a restored townhouse in Bethlehem.
Love-45 (Syria, France, Switzerland, Qatar) by Anas Khalaf, the story of Walid, an unhappy Lebanese tennis club handyman who finds an unexpected purpose when tasked with building a court at a Syrian refugee camp.
Minkaff (Qatar) by S.M. Al Thani, in which a young Qatari man investigates his friend's kidnapping during a falcon hunting trip, uncovering connections to a shared childhood incident from two decades ago.
Plague (Tunisia, France, Qatar) by Youssef Chebbi, set in Tozeur —a farming town on the edge of the Tunisian desert, where two twin brothers jointly manage a palm grove.
Selfless (Qatar, Algeria, France) by Meriem Mesraoua, about a 55-year-old woman, whose life changes when an administrative error invalidates her marriage, forcing her to confront deeper threats to her family's security.
Tarfaya (Morocco, France, Belgium, Qatar) by Sofia Alaoui, about a mysterious sleeping epidemic in a remote Moroccan town that tests a dedicated doctor's resolve as she fights to save her community and the man she loves.
The Joyful 1926 (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Damien Ounouri and Adila Bendimerad, set in colonial Algiers, when a Muslim actress defies societal norms to pursue her theatrical dreams.
The Pearl (Qatar) by Noor Al-Nasr, tells the story of Khalid, a modern-day, tech-obsessed Qatari teenager, who travels back in time to an era before his beloved technology existed.
MENA - Feature Narrative - Post-Production
Exile (Tunisia, Luxembourg, France. Qatar) by Mehdi Hmili, set in an industrial world scarred by tragedy, as a steel factory worker undergoes a haunting transformation after an accident.
Songs of Adam (Iraq, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, USA, Qatar) by Oday Rasheed, is a mystical tale set in 1946 about a boy who stops aging after witnessing a ritual, exploring themes of innocence, time, and family bonds.
Spring Came On Laughing (Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) by Noha Adel, in which four interconnected stories unfold during spring, revealing unexpected darkness beneath the season's renewal.
MENA - Feature Documentary – Development
And Still I Rise (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Djanis Bouzyani, about Aravane Rézaï, who hates tennis, but was once ranked the world's 14th player, and plans a comeback after 13 years.
Life After Siham (Egypt, France, Qatar) by Namir Abdel Messeeh, about Namir, a 40-year-old filmmaker, and his journey through grief.
The Sixth Story (Iraq, UK, Qatar) by Ahmed Abd, in which the protagonist feels an undeniable urge to revisit a memory he has tried to suppress for 17 long years.
MENA - Feature Documentary - Post-Production
Mother of Silence (Iraq, France, Qatar) by Zahraa Ghandour, documents how the director, born and raised in a midwife's house in Baghdad, witnessed violence against women from an early age.
My Armenian Phantoms (Lebanon, France, Armenia, Qatar) by Tamara Stepanyan, a deeply personal exploration following the loss of the director's father, Vigen Stepanyan.
Souraya Mon Amour (Lebanon, Qatar, pictured in the header) by Nicolas Khoury, which immerses viewers in the hidden world of Souraya Baghdadi, a realm of dance, cinema, meditation, and questioning.
Women of Sin (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Noufissa Chara, which follows Karima Nadir and her collective, Kir Mama and Kif Baba, as they fight for gender equality in Morocco.
MENA - Feature Experimental/Essay – Development
B.A.H.R Alphabet (Lebanon, Qatar) by Sabine El Chamaa, a film about time, plastic floating underwater, tiny sparkling jellyfish, legends, and interrupted rituals.
MENA - Feature Experimental/Essay – Production
A Lover’s Manifesto (Lebanon, Qatar) by Alfred Tarasi, documents the history of Beirut, spanning from its inception as a modern city in 1860 to its invasion by the Israeli army in 1982.
MENA - Short Narrative – Development
Burden (Qatar) by Mohammed D. Fakhro, is about an influencer, who struggles to promote a line of recreational oxygen cans during an appearance on a popular Gen-Z podcast.
MENA - Short Narrative – Production
Before the Day Breaks (Qatar) by Amal Al Mutfah, is about Nour a Pakistani heavyweight truck driver in his thirties who lives in Qatar, miles away from his wife and daughter in Lahore.
Dance the Night (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Mohamed Megdoul, follows a shy six-year-old Ayoub, who reluctantly accompanies the women of his family to a village party.
Demons to Diamonds (Lebanon, France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Qatar) by Valentin Noujaim, is shot on gritty 16mm, interwoven with fragmented CCTV footage and surreal VFX, the film plunges into a decaying world where paranoia and dread linger.
Finding Oppo (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Youssef Michraf, is about Mamun, a teenager, who is forced by his father to confront a boy who stole his phone.
Ms. Faiza & Dr Love (Tunisia, France, Qatar) by Anissa Daoud, about Faiza, who embodies everything one might imagine of a North African mother living on a housing estate.
Qadha’ w Qadar (Qatar) by Maryam Al-Mohammed, depicts Noor, who anxiously prepares to enter the courtroom with her sister, Fatima, who informs her that their mother, Amna, will not be joining them.
Sundial (Qatar, Egypt, Chad) by Ethel Elmalik, is set amidst the uncertainty of an escalating military conflict in Khartoum, with 19-year-old Najma’s primary focus being to reach her friend, Ziyad.
When the Fire Burned the Sun (Morocco, Qatar) by Yassine Wahrani, is about Sami and Noor, who are instructed to return their memories of their time at the factory the day after a high-tech factory shuts down.
MENA - Short Narrative – Post-Production
A Palm Frond (Qatar, USA) by Mahdi Ali Ali, a deeply introspective tale unfolds as a woman grapples with love, loss, and the mysteries of the sea.
Project: Aisha (Qatar) by Fahd Al-Nahdi, is about a neurosurgeon Amal, who defies medical advice and takes matters into her own hands to save 10-year-old Aisha.
MENA - Short Documentary – Production
Bel Falastini (Qatar) by Obada Jarbi, is about Jamil Atrash, born in a refugee camp in the 1950s, who reflects on his memories and shares his story from the perspective of a Palestinian refugee.
MENA - Short Experimental – Production
Natural State (Qatar) by Majid Al-Remaihi, is about an anonymous narrator revisiting the collapse of the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf in the 70s through the patchwork of archives.
MENA - TV Series – Development
Men Home La Hon (Lebanon, Qatar) by Marie-Louise Elia, Julien Kobersy and Jean-Claude Boulos, about Kamal, in his 30s, who was once a promising architect until Lebanon's endless crises played a cruel joke on him.
Nadine (Egypt, France, Qatar) by Christophe Saber, a family comedy-drama following the journey of a self-conscious daughter of Lebanese Christian/Druze immigrants living in France.
Visions of the After: Dark Cedar (Lebanon, Qatar) by Ali Hamouch featuring seven stories that revolve around protagonists struggling to navigate a harsh environment—whether in a dystopian or post-apocalyptic world.
MENA - Web Series - Production
The Walled Off Hotel (Palestine, Germany, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) by Amer Shomali, is a series of light-hearted, interactive moments with a quirky ex-pirate who serves as the guide and impromptu hotel manager.
NON-MENA - Feature Narrative – Post-Production
Sleepless City (Spain, France, Qatar) by Guillermo Garcia Lopez, set in La Cañada Real, on the outskirts of Madrid, one of the largest illegal shanty towns in Europe.
The Reserve (Mexico, Qatar) by Pablo Pérez Lombardini, about Julia, a ranger in charge of protecting a natural reserve, living with her mother and daughter in a small village.
NON-MENA - Feature Documentary - Post-Production
Fatna, a Woman Named Rachid (France, Morocco, Belgium, Qatar) by Hélène Harder, documents the National Archives of Morocco, where thousands of files await inventory, including victims of political violence.
Once Upon a Time in Shiraz (Iran, France, Norway, South Korea, Qatar) by Hamed Zolfaghari, which follows Valioallah and Dorna, nearing the end of their nomadic lifestyle.
The Last Shore (Belgium, France, Qatar) by Jean-François Ravagnan, documents the events following the viral video of a young Gambian man's drowning in Venice's Grand Canal by exploring the human story behind the tragedy through the voices of those who knew 22-year-old Pateh Sabally.
NON-MENA - Feature Experimental/Essay – Post-Production
Ancestral Visions of the Future (Lesotho, France, Germany, Qatar) by Lemohang Jeremiah Moses, is a deeply personal exploration of identity, childhood, death, and exile through the eyes of a puppeteer, a mother, a boy, a farmer, and a city.