Clockwise from top left: Naomi Kawase, Dora Bouchoucha and Gianfranco Rosi
Doha, Qatar: Acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase will head the International Feature Film Competition Jury at the Doha Film Festival (DFF) 2026, which will take place from November 19 to 27, bringing together internationally renowned cinema personalities to celebrate independent filmmaking and innovative storytelling.
The Doha Film Institute (DFI) announced that Kawase will be joined by French-Tunisian actor Adam Bessa, Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Palestinian filmmaker and artist Kamal Aljafari, and Italian documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi.
The five-member jury will select the winners from 15 international feature films representing diverse cinematic perspectives from the Arab world, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The jury members bring extensive experience across fiction, documentary filmmaking, production and performance, reflecting the festival’s commitment to promoting artistic excellence and amplifying underrepresented voices.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of Doha Film Institute and Director of Doha Film Festival, emphasised the importance of independent cinema in fostering cultural understanding and encouraging creative expression. “Independent cinema is where the most vital, courageous and transformative stories of our time find their voice. It is our responsibility to protect the creative freedom to challenge conventions, bring overlooked perspectives to the screen and build bridges across cultures,” she said.
Alremaihi expressed pride in welcoming distinguished filmmakers who share the Institute’s vision of supporting independent cinema and nurturing emerging talent.
She noted that their collective experience and artistic integrity reflect DFI’s mission of championing original voices and ensuring compelling stories reach international audiences.
Kawase, who was born and is based in Nara, Japan, is internationally recognised for her distinctive filmmaking style, combining fiction and documentary to explore human relationships and experiences.
She became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 for her debut feature Suzaku, before winning the Cannes Grand Prix for The Mourning Forest in 2007.
Bessa gained international recognition for his performance in Harka (2022), which earned him the Best Performance Award in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section. He subsequently appeared in Who Do I Belong To and Parallel Tales, both supported by DFI. Bouchoucha, founder of Tunisian production company NOMADIS IMAGES, has championed emerging filmmakers across Africa and the Arab world through film production, mentoring initiatives and development workshops.
Palestinian filmmaker Aljafari is recognised for exploring memory, identity and history through cinema.
