This year there are 12 Doha Film Institute supported films in the lineup on the Lido, plus the DFI is hosting a special afternoon and even a gala dinner celebrating their achievements in the world of cinema and art.
“Slow and steady wins the race.” I grew up with that line from one of Aesop's Fables and I’ve always identified with those who live by it. This world may be full to the brim with flashes in the pan, but give me a deep rooted friendship, or a longstanding collaboration any day of the week, over superficial people and things.
So, the Doha Film Institute fills a special place in my heart. Around since the late aughts, the DFI has gone through various stages, festival incarnations even, leadership, etc. But it has never lost sight of the all-important goal — supporting filmmakers with a vision.
As a frequent attendee of their yearly industry incubator, called Qumra in honor of the word in Arabic for the first form of a camera, I have seen good years, better years, and even sometimes calmer years, but I’ve never felt their commitment falter.
So, it’s no surprise that this year the Lido seems to belong to them!
Here’s how. The line-up of the Venice International Film Festival includes world premieres of films by emerging and established Arab talent throughout diverse selection across key programming sections bound to elevate the profile of Arab creatives sharing their stories with the world. Also, the Institute will partner with Media City Qatar to host a special evening to recognize Arab voices and stories selected at the prestigious festival on the 2nd of the September. Starting with an afternoon of shorts by Qatar-based filmmakers, which will include some of my faves by Majid Al-Remaihi and Shaima Al-Tamimi, followed by a reception, the guests will then move to the main island of San Marco in Venice for a soiree under the stars at the palazzo where the DFI inaugurated their exhibition ‘Your Ghosts Are Mine’ back in April of this year, as part of La Biennale d’Arte di Venezia.
The selected films will screen in key programming sections of the festival, including Orrizonti and Orrizonti Shorts, along with the sidebar events of Critics Week, Giornate degli Autori, Final Cut and the Venice Gap-Financing Market.
The selection includes films from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, and Yemen, highlighting the diversity of the Doha Film Institute's support for independent voices in cinema.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “We are proud to continue a successful festival season with a strong showcase of films by Arab talent at Venice. These films offer fresh perspectives on life that reflect human hopes, aspirations and challenges, presenting important voices in film from the Arab world to global audiences. Our mission is to support independent creators in cinema, and the compelling selection at Venice is a testament to our commitment to shed light on stories that transcend borders and present unique perspectives. We hope these films receive the acclaim and attention they deserve.”
The films titles and the section they will be featured in are as follows:
Selected to the Orizzonti section, an international competition dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends, is Aïcha (Tunisia/France/Italy/KSA/Qatar) by Mehdi Barsaoui about Aya who leaves her previous life in Tozeur and embarks on a journey in which she reinvents herself in Tunis. Another film in this section is Happy Holidays (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar) by Scandar Copti, which tells the story of a student involved in a minor accident that sets off a chain reaction of events.
Screening in Orizzonti Shorts is Shadows (Jordan/France/Qatar) by Rand Beiruty. The film follows Ahlam’s first time at an airport, where her excitement is dampened by the sorrow of leaving her past behind.
Sudan, Remember Us (Tunisia/France/Qatar) by Hind Meddeb in the Giornate degli Autori section depicts the collective portrait of a generation fighting for freedom with their words, poems, and chants. It follows a group of Sudanese youth in their twenties who are politically active and artistically creative.
Screening at the Critics’ Week is Perfumed with Mint (Egypt/France/Tunisia/Qatar) by Muhammed Hamdy. The film narrates the story of Alaa, a 30-year-old doctor and his friend Mahdy, who needs help with a strange phenomenon afflicting him.
Four films supported by the Doha Film Institute feature in the Final Cut in this edition, a workshop that aims to provide substantial assistance in the completion of films. These include:
Aisha Can’t Fly Away (Egypt/France/Germany/Tunisia/Sudan/Lebanon/KSA /Qatar) by Morad Mostafa is about Aisha, a caregiver for elderly patients in Cairo among the society of African migrants and witnesses the tension between different groups;
In This Darkness I See You (Lebanon/France/KSA/Qatar) by Nadim Tabet, tells the story of Tarek, a 30-year-old Syrian, who joins a construction site in Lebanon and is confronted with difficult working conditions.
My Father’s Scent (Egypt/Norway/KSA/France/Qatar) by Mohamed Siam follows the dysfunctional relationship between a son and his father who returns home after a long absence and Those Who Watch Over (Morocco/Belgium/France/Qatar) by Karima Saidi, inspired by the director’s mother, a first-generation immigrant in Belgium.
Three films supported by the Institute have also been selected for the Venice Gap-Financing Market. Marie & Jolie (Tunisia/France/Qatar) by Erige Sehiri tells the story of two women in a new country where each must find her place; The Station (Yemen/Jordan/France/Netherlands/Germany/Norway/Qatar) by Sara Ishaq follows Layal who runs a women-only fuel station and struggles to keep the family business afloat amid a fuel crisis and Theft Of Fire (Palestine/Canada/France/Qatar) by Amer Shomali depicts a struggling Palestinian artist who undertakes a daring heist inside a prison.
In addition to the selected films, over 35 diverse projects from the Arab world and global south supported by the Institute are also being showcased as part of the Your ghosts are mine: Expanded Cinemas, Amplified Voices multi-media exhibition at ACP-Palazzo Franchetti on view till 24 November 2024.
Images courtesy of the DFI, used with permission.