Doha, Qatar: Last year at MIPCOM Cannes, Media City Qatar announced support for two original Arabic drama series: “Lamma Shefet,” starring Aimée Sayah and Mohamad Al Ahmad, and “Kawalees,” starring Dima Kandalaft. A year on, both projects, developed with licensed company ImagiQ Productions, are completed.
Their progress is part of a wider slate of productions by licensed companies, supported as they move from development through production and towards release.
These include documentary film “First to Fly” by Alaqat, which follows two young gymnasts competing at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, with filming across Qatar, Bulgaria and Madagascar. Also among them is “Jodari Meno” by The Film House, which follows Qatari spearfisher Jamal from Qatar to Zanzibar and Italy in pursuit of a record-breaking dogtooth tuna. Another completed work, “A Very Ordinary Life” by Lusail Films, about uncovering a buried family secret, is also moving towards release soon. All three films were recently selected for the special screenings program at Doha Film Festival 2026.
These projects form part of a growing portfolio of content supported by Media City Qatar, with more than 30 local projects to date, including 10 documentaries, seven shows and programs, five series, five films, three games and two podcasts.
The production work extends beyond scripted content. Since launching in October 2025, “CNN Creators” has been produced from Media City Qatar as a 30-minute weekly show for television, digital and social platforms, connecting stories from Doha with audiences around the world.
The same international reach is evident in Media City Qatar’s partnership with Euronews. Since 2021, the two have co-produced five programs, delivering more than 550 episodes and 11 billion TV impacts, and nearly 60 million YouTube views.
The collaboration now includes four original programs produced from Doha: “Qatar in Motion,” “Grand Voyager,” “Cult,” and “Focus.”
Music adds another dimension to this original content. “Nabd Qatar,” produced by Media City Qatar-licensed Rahbani 3.0, brought together local creative production and live performance to celebrate Qatar national identity, premiering at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 final on Qatar National Day, with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performing the piece.
With productions filming in the region and working with local crews, creative businesses and production services, the projects are helping build practical production capacity on the ground. As more licensed companies develop and deliver work across Screen, Broadcast & Music, that activity is creating a deeper pool of talent, services and experience for future productions.
Similarly, through its initiatives and partnerships, Media City Qatar is creating opportunities for future talent to gain practical experience, develop new skills and learn from established industry professionals.
One example is its support for a masterclass organised by licensed company RCD Media with two-time Academy Award winner Asghar Farhadi, which gave 60 members of Qatar’s creative and filmmaking community the opportunity to learn directly from one of international cinema’s leading filmmakers.
With programmes such as the Euronews Academy Bootcamp and CNN Academy Media City Qatar is helping upskill the next generation of media talent by providing practical training and exposure to international industry expertise.
