The Director of Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival Abbas Arnoaut (right) and the Senior Specialist with Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival Fatima Mojarridi during the press conference at the Sheraton Doha yesterday. Shaival Dalal
By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: The Ninth Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival opens today with a focus on China as the annual event aims to introduce cultures from all over the world.
Appointment by Chinese Director Zhe Zhang will be screened as the opening film of the four-day event under the theme ‘Windows’ at Sheraton Doha.
It is a love story between a boy — deaf and talented — and a girl, kind and beautiful, who grow up together, are separated and meet after several years. “China has submitted the highest number of films. We chose to highlight Chinese films based on their quality,” festival Director, Abbas Arnoaut, told a press conference yesterday.
“We have received around 1,000 entries and selected over 200. Many entries are from Europe and China,” he added.
The festival will host guests from Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia and other Arab countries to showcase Arab literature, art and culture. They include Noor Al Sherief, Egyptian actor, music composer and singer Iman Elbahr Darweesh and Iraqi poet Abdulrazzaq Abdulwahid.
Flight 13 by Director Ahmad Bukamal will also be screened on the opening day.
It depicts perils journalists face while travelling to cover events, based on a team of Al Jazera Sports Channel which had a narrow escape while on board a private jet during the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
There will be seminars and workshops on ‘Cinema and human rights’; ‘Italian cinema and Palestinian cause’; writing and cinema.
A special jury from the film industry all over the world has selected the best documentaries. “It’s an independent jury, they have selected the best documentaries which will be announced on the last day of the festival,” said Arnoaut.
Best documentaries will receive the Jury Award, an award from Aljazeera Documentary Channel, Public Liberties and Human Rights Award and Child and Family Award in various categories.
The Horizon Award will go to two films directed by students or beginners. All winners will also receive certificates and cash prizes.
A production exhibition will be held on the sidelines, attended by foreign televisions and production houses.
The Peninsula
