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Doha Film Festival Merges with Qatar's Geekdom, Amplifies Palestinian Narratives
18 Nov
Summary
- Doha Film Festival to transform from youth-focused event to broader international festival
- Four world premieres from regional filmmakers, including Qatari thriller and Palestinian documentaries
- Festival to overlap with Geekdom, Qatar's largest pop culture event, to expand storytelling platforms
In November 2025, the Doha Film Institute (DFI) is launching the inaugural edition of the Doha Film Festival, a new international event that will build on the success of its existing Ajyal fest for youth audiences. Under the leadership of DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, the festival is set to transform into a more ambitious event catering to a broader global audience.
The festival will feature 97 films from 62 countries, with about half being regional premieres of titles that have already premiered at top international festivals. Notably, the festival will host the world premieres of four films, including the Qatari thriller "Sa3oud Wainah" and several Palestinian documentaries such as "When the Camera Froze" and "Abu Jabal."
Amplifying Palestinian voices is a key priority for the festival, which will open with Kaouther Ben Hania's "The Voice of Hind Rajab." Alremaihi emphasizes the festival's commitment to accurately portraying the lived experiences and humanity of the Palestinian people, stating that cinema has the power to confront truth, preserve memory, and restore humanity.
Interestingly, the Doha Film Festival will intentionally overlap with Geekdom, Qatar's largest pop culture event, which spans e-sports, anime, cosplay, and more. The synergy between the two events reflects the festival's belief that creativity and storytelling transcend traditional media, with the goal of expanding the reach of regional narratives.
