by Raynald Rivera
The fourth edition of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF 2012) is set to provide an even more enriching experience to film enthusiasts here with a longer festival, having been extended from five days in the previews editions to eight days.
To be held from November 17 to 24, the festival will showcase an internationally diverse programme of over 50 films in distinct themed segments opening with critically acclaimed The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
After earning rave reviews the 69th Venice Film Festival this year, Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which was financed by Doha Film Institute, will also mark its MENA premiere at the festival opening.
Based on the best-selling novel of the same title, translated into 25 languages, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a riveting international political thriller that follows the story of a young Pakistani man, chasing corporate success on Wall Street, who ultimately finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family’s homeland.
The festival will also spotlight on Algeria celebrating its 50 years of independence. DTFF 2012 will pay tribute to the country’s rich cinematic history and its contribution to the evolving MENA film landscape, through a compelling showcase of classic and new-age Algerian films.
To further build on its focus of promoting Qatari culture and heritage and to strengthen local community engagement through the annual festival, DFI has added Souq Waqif, the city’s favourite cultural attraction, to serve as a Festival hub. Souq Waqif will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Festival, and an array of industry and hospitality events.
The other festival venue, Katara, will continue to serve as the Screening Hub of the Festival and the heart of Family Days. DTFF 2012 screenings will also be held at the Museum of Islamic Art auditorium.
The Arab Film Competition for DTFF 2012 will consist of a Narrative Feature category, a Documentary Feature category and a Short Film category. Both the Documentary and Narrative Feature categories will have Best Director and Best Film Awards. The Shorts Competition will award a prize for Best Film. In addition, Official Selection films in the Arab Film Competition and the Contemporary World Cinema section are also eligible for Audience Awards in the Best Narrative and Documentary categories.
In addition to the official film programme, DTFF highlights also include Family Day; dedicated to connecting families through film enthusiasm and education, and the return of the Made in Qatar section which continues to support the country as a platform for filmmaking.
Other community events include panel discussions, networking programmes and educational filmmaking initiatives including Doha Talks and Doha Projects.
THE PENINSULA
