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Doha Film Fest Wraps: Indie Films Shine
29 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Sleepless City took top feature film award at the Doha Film Festival.
- Cotton Queen won the audience award, highlighting a Sudanese eco-drama.
- Gaza actors Majd Eid and Nader Abd Alhay earned best performance award.
The inaugural Doha Film Festival concluded its run, awarding Guillermo Galoe's "Sleepless City" the best feature film prize in its International Feature Film Competition. This film, previously premiered at Cannes' Critics' Week, delves into a teenager's unraveling world on Madrid's outskirts.
"Cotton Queen," a Sudanese coming-of-age drama with an ecological critique, captivated audiences to win the audience award, having previously premiered at Venice Critics' Week. The documentary competition saw "My Father and Qaddafi" take the documentary award, chronicling a daughter's search for her missing opposition leader father.
Artistic achievement awards were presented to "With Hasan in Gaza" and "Renoir," while actors Majd Eid and Nader Abd Alhay received best performance honors for "Once Upon a Time in Gaza." The festival also recognized emerging talents through its Ajyal Competition and International Short Film Competition, showcasing a broad spectrum of global cinema.
