Entrepreneurship and Business |
| Qumra, Doha
regional film communities, and is fast gaining ground as
a serious space for mentoring new filmmakers from the
Middle East and beyond. A DFI initiative, Qumra lays
the foundations to support new projects and provides a
nurturing space where filmmakers can learn their craft,
develop their skills, and present their work to audiences
around the globe.
This year, Qumra featured 33 projects from 25 countries
including 12 films from Qatar, five feature films and seven
shorts in various stages of production. These stories, the
fruits of the continuous work that DFI has undertaken
with these filmmakers, lay the foundations of a new era
in Qatar’s young film industry. Participants highlighted
the role that Qumra plays in facilitating networking
opportunities with international film experts, and for
making a tangible difference to their projects across all
aspects of film production – from script consultation to
international film festival outreach.
Speaking about the assistance that he has received
via DFI and Qumra, Fahad Al-Kuwari, the brains
behind short film “Angels, Spiders and other Miserable
Creatures,” said: “It is very important for us as filmmakers
to interact with experts and industry professionals. Qumra
serves as productive time spent with all colleagues as we
share insights and experiences. Thanks to Qumra, we
are now able to curate our projects in a better way.”
Qumra expands on the DFI’s existing support
mechanisms for filmmakers, taking it beyond financial
contributions into a more meaningful level of support.
Since its inception, DFI has launched initiatives that
nurture emerging talents and aid the new generation
of filmmakers, making a positive impact in Qatar and
the region in setting the foundations for a vibrant film
industry and taking local stories to the world.
Emerging filmmaker Rawda Al-Thani, currently
making the short film “Reem Planted a Flower,”
describes the influence of DFI’s initiative on her
career: “I started my journey to film in college with my
colleague at Northwestern University in Qatar. I look
for local themes from our culture and take it as a story
for my films. It is amazing to have this opportunity to
develop my film through Qumra. It has been a great
support – the workshops and masterclasses helped me
have a better understanding of filmmaking.”
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