The Doha Film Institute has recruited Oscar nominee Walter Salles (“I’m Still Here”), iconic Hong Kong director Johnnie To, prominent Filipino auteur Law Diaz, ace cinematographer Darius Khondji and master Mexican costume designer Anna Terrazas to hold onstage conversations and act as mentors during its upcoming Qumra Arab industry incubator.
The event, now celebrating its 11th edition, will run April 4-9 in the Qatari capital of Doha.
Qumra, which means “camera” in Arabic, blends together a creative workshop, co-production market and festival elements. It was established by the Doha Film Institute (DFI) to help foster first and second works, mostly by Arab directors, and to create curated networking opportunities between the Arab and international film communities.
The DFI is a major indie Arab film industry driver and has also been providing funding for Arab TV series for the past few years. Qumra 2025 will feature a selection of top notch Arab films in various stages, as well as some TV projects.
DFI-supported films screening at the Berlinale this year included competition entry “Yunan” by Berlin-based director Ameer Fakher Eldin, who was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, to Syrian parents from the Golan Heights.
“We are truly honored to welcome some of the world’s most celebrated creatives,” DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said in a statement. “By sharing their knowledge and experience with our Qumra participants, they will inspire a new generation to refine their craft, and tell bold enduring stories that will shape the future of cinema.”
Commented DFI artistic advisor Elia Suleiman: “Cinema is not just the stories we tell, but the silences in between — the spaces where meaning lingers. At Qumra, these silences resonate loudly, where emerging voices are amplified by the wisdom of the Qumra Masters. It is a place of transformation, where the future of film is not dictated, but discovered.”
