The Doha Film Festival has revealed the 15 titles competing in its upcoming edition, showcasing a lineup that prioritizes female filmmakers and stories from the Middle East. The event, set to take place from November 19-27 in Qatar’s capital, marks the second edition of the revamped festival.
Yemeni-Scottish director Sara Ishaq’s drama “The Station,” which examines the humanitarian impact of Yemen’s civil war, was selected as the opening film. The selection continues last year’s trend of highlighting Palestinian narratives, with four Palestinian features in competition. These include Hosam Abu Dan’s debut “Thirteen in Gaza,” filmed entirely within the Gaza Strip and recognized at the Toronto International Film Festival; Rabab Khamis’s documentary “Sama,” which follows a young girl surviving by collecting recyclables, making its world premiere in Doha; and Muayad Alayan’s Venice-launched absurdist drama “Conversations with the Sea.”
Other notable entries include Tala Hadid’s “Bardi,” a Moroccan film about an equestrian tradition that recently premiered at the New York Film Festival. The festival also features works from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, such as Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu’s “House of the Wind” from Cameroon, Hugo Salvaterra’s Angola-focused “My Semba,” and Sompot Chidgasornpongse’s “9 Temples to Heaven,” which serves as Thailand’s submission for the international feature film Oscar.
Eleven of the competing titles received support from the Doha Film Institute. Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of the institute, emphasized the festival’s mission to provide a platform for independent cinema that challenges conventions.
“Cinema has the power to carry voices across borders and create connections where distance and difference might otherwise divide us,” Alremaihi said. “Doha Film Festival was created to give those voices a home, particularly filmmakers who challenge conventions to bring unheard stories to the screen and demonstrate the possibilities of independent cinema.”
The festival transforms the former Ajyal youth-oriented event into a broader international competition. Award categories include $75,000 for best narrative, $50,000 for best documentary, $45,000 for artistic achievement, and $15,000 for a gender-neutral performance acting award. Key partners include Katara, Media City Qatar – Film Committee, and Visit Qatar.
$75,000 for best narrative is quite generous for an independent festival. That funding really helps emerging voices.
Oscar submissions from Thailand and Africa add real diversity beyond the Middle East focus. Impressive curation.
Seven female directors out of fifteen is a solid representation, but I hope they expand further next year.
Thirteen in Gaza being filmed entirely within the Strip sounds incredibly brave. Can’t wait to watch it.
It is wonderful to see Palestinian stories receiving such prominent global platform support through this lineup.