Doha: A group of 20 local filmmakers are about to complete a 12-week pilot project for Doha Film Institute’s (DFI) new Filmmaking Seminars under its restructured Learning Initiatives.
The course took place as a trial for DFI’s new filmmaking seminar modules, and will provide feedback from participants as the institute refines the programme ahead of its first public intake in October.
DFI CEO, Abdulaziz Al Khater, said: “I am grateful to participants in our pilot project to develop a programme I believe will make a dynamic contribution to our local film culture.
DFI’s Director of Learning Initiatives, Hakim Belabbes, said: “Our Filmmaking Seminars work with participants to help them find and develop personal voice. For filmmakers in Qatar, an essential element of this process is going back to our Arab identity, delving into our folk tales and heritage, reviving spoken images from our families, community and literature, and bringing the richness of Arab storytelling to the screen. Exploring the history and practice of world cinema and the master filmmakers who have shaped it is also central to the process.”
One of the participants, Amal Al Mufta, said: “The concept we are learning is how to adapt experiences in our lives and reflect them in our films. I’m exploring a new premise of filmmaking which is autobiographical in many ways. It’s interesting and I am excited to continue brainstorming my ideas.”
DFI’s restructure focuses on learning, which will be delivered via two streams: The Filmmaking Seminars series, which is a four-month-long programme structured around the four main phases of film production; and the Creative Consultations programme, a bespoke mentoring service to support filmmakers in Qatar with projects in development.
Al Khater said: “Part of our role as a national film institute is to help establish the foundations for a home-grown national cinema to grow and thrive. This is not simply about infrastructure or funding; it is also about providing access to development, mentorship and training opportunities to create a fertile seedbed for future growth. Our creative consultations build on the work we have been doing with talented local filmmakers and formalise the process for them to access support.” The seminars series begins in October, with an information session in September.
The Peninsula
