Qumra 2022 will be held as an online event from March 18 to 23, with a total of 45 projects from around the world.
The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has selected 16 homegrown projects with 13 from Qatari nationals, including feature films, documentaries, shorts, and a series that will receive support at the eighth edition of its annual talent incubator Qumra.
The event will take place from March 18 to 23, 2022.
Qatar has the strongest presence among the 45 selected projects by filmmakers from the Arab world and beyond, which will participate in the online programme including roundtables, feedback sessions, and collaborative skills development on key knowledge-sharing platforms. This year’s edition continues to advance Qumra’s goal to strengthen filmmaking skills among emerging talent from Qatar and beyond, and provide meaningful support to help aspiring film talent to reach their full cinematic potential.
Speaking about the event, Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “As our nation celebrates one of its crowning achievements with the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022 this year, we also want to celebrate the significant cultural achievements of our locally driven, globally accomplished film industry. As we continue to apply an integrated focus on promoting homegrown talent through film appreciation, skills development, financing support and high-level networking, we are honoured to witness their incredible talent thriving.
“We are proud of the creative professionals who have seized the opportunity to build competencies that resulted in this year’s exciting line-up from Qatar at Qumra 2022. The diversity of the formats of the works – from feature film to series – and the masterful storytelling talent displayed, whether it is highlighting our heritage, telling tales of people and places in Qatar or inspiring fantasies, we can’t wait to share their universal stories with audiences around the world.”
Among the film projects by Qatari talent, two are feature narratives in development, one feature documentary each in development, post-production, and picture lock, one series in the development, five short narratives in development, two in post-production, and one in picture lock.
The ‘Development- Feature Narrative’ will present Khuzama by A.J Al-Thani (Qatar) and The Pearl by Noor Al-Nasr (Qatar), where the ‘Development- Feature Documentary’ will screen When The News Breaks You by Hamad Al-Hajri (Qatar).
The ‘Post-Production – Documentary – Work-in-progress’ includes Qatar Stars by Danielle Beverly (Qatar, USA) and Let’s Play Soldiers by Mariam Al-Dhubhani (Yemen, Qatar). Places of the Soul by Hamida Issa (Qatar) will be showcased in the ‘Post-Production – Documentary – Picture Lock’ category.
Traditional Qatari Songs by Aisha Al-Jaidah is been selected for the ‘Series- Development’.
The film in ‘Short Narrative – Development’ includes I Wished for Solitude by Hamad Alfayhani (Qatar), Abu Fanoos by Amira Abujbara and Horia El Hadad (Qatar), Sandogi by Noor Alkuwari (Qatar), The Line by Hitmi Al Hitmi (Qatar), and Mercy by Abdulaziz Mohammed (Qatar).
The ‘Short Narrative – Post-Production – Work-in-progress’ category will present Kinship by Ali Alhajri (Qatar), A Simple Cut by Maha Al-Jefairi (Qatar), and The Swinging Chandelier by Karim Emara (Egypt, Qatar).
A Proposal by Nadia Al-Khater (Qatar), will be screened in the ‘Short Narrative – Post-Production – Picture Lock’ section.
The Qumra 2022 include 11 feature projects in development, 17 feature projects in post-production, six in Qumra Series, and 11 in Qumra Shorts. Women directors helm 20 of the total selected projects.
