Doha Tribeca Film Festival Turns Two

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Wednesday, 27 October 2010 02:46

Written by Laura Blum

The history of the Middle East can be traced through its dynamic alliances, and the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (October 26 to 30, 2010) – a partnership between Doha Film Institute and Tribeca Enterprises – updates this tradition in the cultural dominion. Marking its second year under the sun, this “celebration of all things film” in the Emirate of Qatar joins such neighboring fests as Abu Dhabi and Dubai in blazoning cinema’s banner across the Persian Gulf.

This recent caravan of film festivals is propelling a whole new sector of filmed entertainment in the region. As noted by DFI and DTFF executive director Amanda Palmer, these showcases – and such coffers as Doha Film Fund -- are allowing local filmmakers and productions to flourish. Just as consequentially, the parade of international and Arab movies unleashed in the fests is boosting cinema culture in the home community in ways that were all but unimaginable scant years ago.

Several changes accompany year two. Not only does the Festival gain an extra day in this go-around, it also has a new outpost in Katara cultural village hosting multimedia panels, Q&As, a special exhibition and a family day. Also on this stretch of Doha’s east end will unfold industry events designed to bring together filmmakers and investors.

DTFF will screen 51 features from more than 35 countries and territories. Ten of these will spar under the aegis of the new Arab Film Competition, which encompasses 33 features in World Panorama, nine in the Arab Short Film Competition and six Special Screenings. The competition will shake out $410,000 in cash prizes.

Opening the five-day event under the stars is Outside the Law, from French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb. The action-thriller recounts a 1945 massacre of mostly defenseless Algerians by French soldiers during the Algerian struggle for independence. When the film premiered at Cannes, it provoked a firestorm of controversy and criticism.

Festival curtains will draw to a close with Justin Chadwick's The First Grader, about an illiterate octogenarian in Kenya who enrolls in school.

Far from suffering the terrible twos, DTFF 2010 is shining the spotlight on comedy. Just Like Us, from American/Egyptian director and funnyman Ahmed Ahmed, Taika Waititi's Boy and Josef Fares' Balls are among the gut-busters on the program, alongside such panels as "Do you Speak Comedy?”

Ten films will contend for the brightest ribbons in the competition. Four of them will receive their world premiere at Doha: Mahmoud Kaabour’s Grandma, A Thousand Times; Sameh Zoabi’s Man Without a Cellphone; Ghassan Salhab’s The Mountain and Ibrahim El Batout’s Hawi.

Among the foreign titles to be shown are Julian Schnabel’s portrait of a Jerusalem orphan, Miral, and Robert Redford’s take on the assassination of American president Abraham Lincoln, The Conspirator.

Lending international glitter to the jury is Academy Award-nominated actress, producer and director Salma Hayek. Presided by Egyptian actress Yosra, the jury also brings together English actor/writer/director Nick Moran, Indian director Bhavna Talwar and, from Bosnia, director of the Oscar-winning No Man’s Land, Danis Tanovic.

The celebrity drum roll extends to actor and Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Robert De Niro, Freida Pinto, Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein.

Get the full Festival picture at http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/filmfestival

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