Chairman of Qatar Tourism Saad bin Ali Al Kharji (fourth left); CEO of DFI Fatma Hassan Alremaihi (centre); and other officials at the festival.
Doha, Qatar: The 12th edition of the Ajyal Film Festival, presented by Doha Film Institute (DFI), concluded yesterday with the winners of the Ajyal Jury Competition honoured at a special ceremony held in Katara Cultural Village, Doha.
The Ajyal Jury Competition winners were selected by over 400 young jurors, aged 8 to 25, who watched a total of 66 thought-provoking films from 42 countries in three categories – Mohaq (8 to 12 years), Hilal (13 to 17 years) and Bader (18- to 25-year-old jurors). The award ceremony was attended by jurors, their parents, filmmakers and several distinguished guests.
One of the special moments at the Festival this year was the ‘Ajyal in Gaza’ programme that screened films from Qatar for 90 young jurors in Gaza, who awarded Above the Tamarind Tree (Qatar) by Buthyna Al Mohammadi the top honour.
The Made in Qatar Awards, which honour the works of Qatari and Qatar-based filmmakers, were evaluated by a three-member jury led by acclaimed Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri and included Kenyan filmmaker Debra Aroko and Qatari filmmaker Amal Al Muftah.
The winners are: Abdulaziz Jassim Award for Best Performance: Qatari filmmaker Ali Al Hajri -I Lay For You To Sleep, Best Director Award: Paul Abraham and Abdulla Al Hor- Alkaline, and Best Film Award: I Lay For You To Sleep - Ali Al Hajri.
For the 2024 Ajyal Jury Competition, the winners are: Mohaq - Best Short Film Award: Bottles (Morocco) - Yassine El Idrissi, and Best Feature Film Award: Block 5 (Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Serbia)- Klemen Dvornik.
For Hilal, the award of Best Short Film Award went to Canary in a Coal Mine (Lebanon) - Dwan Kaoukji, while Best Feature Film Award was awarded to Searching for Amani (Kenya, USA)- Debra Aroko and Nicole Gormley.
Bader, Best Short Film Award: Apoleon (Egypt, France) - Amir Youssef, Best Feature Film Award: Thank You for Banking with Us (Palestine, Germany, KSA, Qatar, Egypt) - Laila Abbas; and Audience Award was won by Sudan, Remember Us (France, Tunisia, Qatar) - Hind Meddeb.
Addressing the audience, Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer of DFI, said: “While we hosted our screenings here, our hearts were with our neighbours who are undergoing great challenges. When 90 young jurors in Gaza found a way to participate in Ajyal despite everything happening around them, it showed me the true power of what we do. Their courage and determination to engage with cinema even in the darkest hours, reminds us of our purpose. It tells us why we can never stop telling stories of the wronged and the neglected.”
She added, “We have been inspired by how filmmakers respond to the changes around them. Through our support to young, emerging and independent voices, we have underlined the power of film to break barriers and form positive bonds through cultural exchange and understanding.”
With DFI approaching its 15th year in 2025 Alremaihi commented, “As we look ahead to a new chapter with Doha Film Festival, the Ajyal spirit remains. Our young jurors have always been the driving force behind the festival, and they will to be central to next year’s exciting new chapter in film and storytelling. Ajyal means generations, and what we have built together is a legacy for future generations. We told a magnificent story and we are about to tell another filled with hope and excitement, and will continue to champion the voices of underrepresented communities.”
