Doha, November 23 (QNA) – Doha Film Institute is celebrating the Qatar-MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) Year of Culture 2022 with a showcase of exceptional films from across the region as part of its MENASA Spotlight at the Doha Film Experience. Showing at the Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium from Dec. 4 to 8, 2022.
The films present the greatest and latest independent voices in MENASA cinema, in addition to a stunning cinematic tribute to directors, authors and promising talents, with screenings of long and short films that tell stories from the region to visitors and the community that coincides this year with the hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Office of the Doha Film Institute, said: “Qatar has a deep history of meaningful cultural exchange with the MENASA region, including continuing support for emerging voices in cinema from the region. The Year of Culture, a unique initiative by Qatar Museums, plays a key role in promoting dynamic cultural exchange in Qatar and paying tribute to our international relationships. In this special year of hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 , we are excited to add a dimension to the celebrations with the MENASA Spotlight as an enriching cinematic experience for all.”
The special showcase of MENASA films will commence with the screening of DFI-supported House in the Fields (Morocco, Qatar/2017) by Tala Hadid, that charts the isolated rural Amazigh community living in the Atlas Mountains. The screening is on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 7.30 PM.
The Wild Pear Tree (Turkey, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar/2018) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan follows Sinan an aspiring writer who returns home after college hoping to make enough money to publish his first novel. The DFI supported film will be screened on Monday, Dec. 5 at 7.30 PM.The Salesman (Iran, France/2016) by Asghar Farhadi will be screened on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7.30 PM.
DFI-supported Beauty and the Dogs (Tunisia, France, Sweden, Norway, Lebanon, Qatar, Switzerland/2017) by Kaouther Ben Hania screens on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7.30 PM. The final feature narrative to be screened on Thursday, Dec 8 at 7:30PM is Elia Suleimans It Must be Heaven (France, Qatar, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Palestine/2019) supported by DFI.
Maradonas Legs
A captivating programme of short films from Palestine screens on December 7 from 5 PM with award-winning titles of Maradonas Legs (Germany, Palestine / 2019) by Firas Khoury; DFI supported titles The Present (Palestine, Qatar / 2019) by Farah Nabulsi and Under the Lemon Tree (Qatar, Palestine / 2020) by Noor Al-Asswad; Ismail (Jordan, Palestine, UK, Qatar / 2013) by Nora Alsharif and Refuge (Qatar / 2019) by Maha Essid.
The Qatar-MENASA Year of Culture 2022 is supported by Qatar Airways and was planned in collaboration with a number of leading institutions in Qatar including Doha Film Institute, Education Above All, Katara Cultural Village, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Qatar Charity (QC), Qatar Football Association (QFA), Qatar Foundation (QF), Qatar Museum (QM), Qatar National Library (ANL), Qatar Tourism (QT), Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), and other participated embassies in Qatar.
The previous Culture Years included: (Qatar, Japan / 2012), (Qatar, United Kingdom/ 2013), (Qatar,Brazil / 2014), (Qatar,Turkey / 2015), (Qatar, China / 2016), (Qatar, Germany/ 2017), (Qatar,Russia / 2018), (Qatar, India / 2019), (Qatar, France /2020) and (Qatar, America /2021). (QNA)