The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has set another milestone with an impressive slate of 10 films supported by the region’s leading film organisation selected to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2022.
The Institute continues to uphold its proud legacy of supporting compelling films from across the globe that make headlines in the international film festival circuit this year too with one of the largest representations at Cannes 2022 being held from May 17 to 28. Of the films selected, five will screen in the Un Certain Regard, while four are part of the Directors’ Fortnight and one film will screen in the ACID section.
In addition, three films by Qatar based and regional talent, promoted by the Institute, have also been selected for Cannes’ Cinéfondation Atelier.
DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said: “For the past several years, films supported by the Institute have made headlines at Cannes Film Festival, underpinning the quality of the projects we nurture. This year, with an impressive selection of films, including by first-time directors, we are further contributing to global cinema through captivating films that have universal resonance. Our mission is to celebrate independent voices in cinema and the proud selection to Cannes, regarded as the epitome of great filmmaking, is a testament to our commitment to supporting important voices in films.”
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‘Polaris’.
Among the films screening in Un Certain Regard are:
• ‘All The People I’ll Never Be’ (France, Germany, Belgium, South Korea, Romania, Qatar) by Davy Chou
• ‘Plan 75’ (Japan, France, Philippines, Qatar) by Hayakawa Chie
• ‘Domingo and the Mist’ (Costa Rica, Qatar) by Ariel Escalante Meza
• ‘Mediterranean Fever’ (Palestine, France, Germany, Cyprus, Qatar) by Maha Haj
• ‘Harka’ (Egypt, France, Tunisia, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Qatar) by Lotfy Nathan
The films screened in the Directors’ Fortnight (Quinzaine des réalisateurs), an independent selection at the Cannes Film Festival, are:
• ‘Ashkal’ (Tunisia, France, Qatar), directed by Youssef Chebbi.
• ‘Under the Fig Trees’ (Tunisia, Switzerland, Qatar, France) by Erige Sehiri
• ‘The Dam’ (Lebanon, France, Sudan, Germany, Serbia, Qatar) by Ali Cherri
• ‘1976’ (Chile, Qatar) by Manuela Martelli
The Association du Cinéma Indépendant pour sa Diffusion (L’ACID) parallel programme at Cannes is dedicated to exceptional independent films. This year, DFI-supported film ‘Polaris’ (France, Greenland, Qatar) by Ainara Vera will screen at ACID. .
The three films at Cannes’ Cinéfondation Atelier, supported by the Institute, have been selected for the quality of their directors’ earlier works and the potential of their current projects. The chosen films are:
• ‘Cotton Queen’ (Sudan, Qatar) by Suzannah Mirghani
• ‘Hamlet from the Slums’ (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar) by Ahmed Fawzi-Saleh
• ‘Al Baseer – The Blind Ferryman’ (Iraq, Switzerland, Qatar) by Ali al-Fatlawi
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‘The Dam’.