Doha Film Festival Unveils 15-Film Competition Lineup — SkimNews
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- Doha Film Festival unveiled a 15-title competition lineup for its second edition, running Nov. 19-27 in Qatar's capital, with seven of the films directed by women and most being Middle East premieres
- Sara Ishaq's "The Station," a Yemeni-Scottish drama examining the impact of Yemen's civil war, is set as the opening film of the revamped event
- Palestinian cinema features prominently with four competition entries: Hosam Abu Dan's Toronto prize-winning "Thirteen in Gaza," Rabab Khamis's world-premiering doc "Sama," and Muayad Alayan's Venice-launched "Conversations with the Sea"
- The Doha Film Institute is supporting 11 of the 15 competing titles, per the festival announcement
- Sub-Saharan Africa is represented by two Venice-laureled films: Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu's "House of the Wind" and Hugo Salvaterra's rap-infused "My Semba"
- Top prizes include $75,000 for best narrative, $50,000 for documentary, $45,000 for artistic achievement, and a $15,000 gender-neutral performance award
- The festival marks the transformation of DFI's youth-focused Ajyal Film Festival into a broader international event, according to CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi
Why it matters: Doha is using a $75,000 best-narrative prize and 11 of 15 slots backed by its own institute to position the festival as a serious international player, distinct from Ajyal's youth-focused predecessor. The four Palestinian films — including a Gaza-shot title — give the lineup a pointed political dimension at a moment when Middle Eastern cinema is drawing heightened global attention.
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