All Events

DFI Cinema

DFI Cinema is presented in partnership with several organisations, including Katara, the Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar Museums and Aspire Park. Programming includes contemporary independent cinema, filmmaker retrospectives, classic films and a regular presentation of works by Qatari and Gulf filmmakers.

Upcoming Screenings:

‘Your Ghosts Are Mine’ Screenings

Doha Film Institute presents a film series at the Museum of Islamic Art, featuring a curated selection of works from the acclaimed exhibition ‘Your Ghosts Are Mine: Expanded Cinemas, Amplified Voices‘—which debuted at the Venice Biennale in 2024. Showcasing a selection of filmmakers and artists from the original lineup of over 40, this program highlights compelling explorations of community life, memory, and transnational experiences from the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

• April 22 at 7pm – Nezouh by Soudade Kaadan
• April 23 at 7pm – House in the Fields by Tala Hadid
• April 24 at 7pm – Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege by Abdallah Al-Khatib

Tickets: Free – first come, first served

• Tuesday, 22 April at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Nezouh

Directed by: Soudade Kaadan

14-year-old Zeina and her family are the last to have stayed in their besieged hometown of Damascus in Syria. A missile rips a giant hole in their home, exposing them to the outside world. When a rope is mysteriously lowered into the hole, Zeina gets her first taste of freedom, and an unimaginable world of possibility opens for her.

As the violence outside escalates, the family is pressured to evacuate, but Mutaz, her father is adamant that they stay, refusing to flee to the uncertain life of a refugee. Faced with a life or death dilemma, Zeina and Hala, her mother, must make the choice whether to stay or leave.

Country: Syria, Lebanon, Qatar
Runtime: 90 mins
Year: 2022
Language: Arabic with English subtitles
Rating: 15+

• Wednesday, 23 April at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

House in the Fields (Tigmi Nigren)

Directed by: Tala Hadid

This evocative documentary presents life in an isolated Amazigh village in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. It follows sisters Khadija and Fatima, showcasing their divergent paths amid societal progress and cultural traditions. The film portrays their daily routines and conversations, capturing the resilience of a community steadfast in its customs while confronting inevitable change.

Country: Morocco, Qatar
Runtime: 85 mins
Year: 2017
Language: Amazigh with English and Arabic subtitles
Rating: 15+

• Thursday, 24 April at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege

Directed by: Abdallah Al-Khatib

The district of Yarmouk in Damascus, Syria, sheltered the largest Palestinian refugee camp in the world from 1957 to 2018. When the Syrian revolution broke out, Bashar Al-Assad’s regime saw Yarmouk as a refuge of rebels and resistance, besieging the camp from 2013 onwards. Gradually deprived of food, medicine and electricity, Yarmouk was cut off from the rest of the world. Filmmaker Abdallah Al-Khatib was born in Yarmouk, living there until his expulsion by Daesh in 2015. Between 2011 and 2015, he documented the besieged inhabitants’ daily lives, who chose to face bombing, displacement and hunger with rallying, study, music, love and joy.

Countless lives were irremediably transformed by the war and siege—from Abdallah’s mother, who became a nurse taking care of the elders of the camp, to the fiercest activists whose passion for Palestine became gradually undermined by hunger. Al-Khatib accompanies each increasingly heartbreaking scene with his odic and often incisive view of the situation. Indeed, ‘Little Palestine’ can be difficult watch to watch at times because of the deeply affecting subject matter—but a rewarding and poignant experience, one that speaks truth to power and is a testament to the resilience of the beleaguered people of Yarmouk.

Country: Lebanon, France, Qatar
Runtime: 89 mins
Year: 2021
Language: Arabic with English subtitles
Rating: 15+

Past Screenings:

Contemporary Releases

• Thursday, 13 February 2025 – 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 14 February 2025 – 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 15 February 2025 – 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Io Capitano

Directed by: Matteo Garrone

In this acclaimed film which won top directing and acting prizes at the Venice Film Festival, writer-director Garrone presents a “reverse shot”… Read more

Qatar National Day

• Wednesday, 18 December 2024 at 3:00 PM, Barahat Msheireb

Ode to Our Land
A Doha Film Institute Supported Film

Directed by: Amal Al Muftah and Rawda Al-Thani

His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was once a young man who lived in a city that would one day become a great metropolis and global centre. On the path to becoming a leader, his vision was formed by many things—memory, dreams and aspirations—all coalescing to make the backbone of a lucid and intelligent development of a nation. Charting the path from childhood to the ascension to power and through interviews, recollections and the filmmakers’ poetic and subjective explorations, ‘Ode to Our Land’ is a journey into courage, persistence and radical foresight.

Free – first come, first served

Doha Forum Screening

• Friday, 6 December 2024 at 3 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Where Olive Trees Weep – Screening and Panel Discussion

Join us for a special screening of Where Olive Trees Weep, a powerful documentary exploring themes of resilience, trauma, and justice in the context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The event will include a post-screening panel discussion with filmmaker Ashira Darwish and Dr. Myriam Francois.

This free public event is part of the Doha Forum, presented in collaboration with MOFA and Doha Film Institute.

Limited capacity – first come, first served.

Synopsis:
‘Where Olive Trees Weep’ offers a searing window into the lives of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Directed by Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo, this heartbreakingly beautiful and poignant documentary explores themes of loss, trauma, resilience, and the quest for justice.

Amidst the ancient landscapes scarred by decades of occupation—land confiscation, home demolitions, and water deprivation—the film uncovers extraordinary resilience and a glimpse of hope. It asks the profound question: What blinds the oppressor to its own cruelty?

Through this intimate and deeply human portrayal, ‘Where Olive Trees Weep’ challenges preconceptions, fosters compassion, and invites audiences to reflect on the urgent need for justice in the region.

Mosaics of Morocco
A Year of Culture Film Series

Join us as we celebrate the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture with a captivating series of DFI-granted Moroccan films. Celebrating the profound ties shared by our two nations, this programme brings our communities together to learn about each other’s cultural heritage.

This collection showcases four exceptional films from both renowned and emerging directors, each enriched by the diverse and vibrant heritage of Moroccan cinema. Featuring some of the very best examples of modern Moroccan filmmaking, this collection of documentaries and narratives offers a unique window into the country’s evolving cultural landscape.

Experience the artistry and storytelling that define the new wave of Moroccan cinema—book your tickets now.

• Thursday, 10 October at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

House in the Fields (Tigmi Nigren)

Directed by: Tala Hadid

This evocative documentary presents life in an isolated Amazigh village in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. It follows sisters Khadija and… Read more

• Friday, 11 October at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Mica

Directed by: Ismaël Ferroukhi

Mica, a boy from a disadvantaged background in Morocco, seizes an opportunity to train at an elite tennis academy… Read more

• Saturday, 12 October at 4 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Fragments from Heaven (2022)

Directed by: Adnane Baraka

In the vast Moroccan desert, nomads and scientists unite in search of meteorites, uncovering fragments from the heavens. Their journey… Read more

• Saturday, 12 October at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Birdland (Indivision) (2023)

Directed by: Leila Kilani

Set in a decaying Moroccan villa, this atmospheric drama follows the lives of two siblings torn between personal desires and family obligations… Read more

Ode to Our Land

A new production by Doha Film Institute for the National Museum of Qatar, ‘Ode to Our Land’, helmed by two promising Qatari talents, Amal Al Muftah and Rawda Al-Thani, is a first-of-its-kind film project that celebrates the vision of HH, the Father Emir, in establishing a modern nation dedicated to the prosperity of all its people. A poetic ode and cinematic essay, the feature documentary also underscores Qatar’s exciting and ever-evolving film ecosystem.

• Thursday, 11 April, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 12 April, 4 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 13 April, 4 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Thursday, 25 April, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 26 April, 4 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 27 April, 4 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Ode to Our Land

Directed by: Amal Al-Muftah and Rawda Al-Thani

His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was once a young man who lived in a city that would one day become a great metropolis and global centre. On the path to becoming a leader, his vision was formed by many things—memory, dreams and aspirations—all coalescing to make the backbone of a lucid and intelligent development of a nation. Charting the path from childhood to the ascension to power and through interviews, recollections and the filmmakers’ poetic and subjective explorations, ‘Ode to Our Land’ is a journey into courage, persistence and radical foresight.

Made in Qatar

Doha Film Institute’s (DFI) Made in Qatar programme is an internationally recognised and celebrated initiative that shines a spotlight on Qatar’s thriving homegrown film industry. Dedicated to nurturing local talent, the programme offers Qatari and Qatar-based filmmakers a platform to showcase their creativity and unique perspectives through the medium of cinema.

DFI actively supports these filmmakers in bringing their visions to life, ensuring that local stories reach both national and international audiences. Several of MIQ’s projects have gone on to be nominated and awarded at many prestigious film festivals worldwide, including Venice, Locarno and Carthage.

The Made in Qatar programme not only enriches the cultural landscape of Qatar but also plays a pivotal role in developing a vibrant and sustainable film community—fostering a new generation of storytellers and authentic cinematic voices from the heart of the Middle East.

Buy Tickets for Made in Qatar Programne 1 Here

Buy Tickets for Made in Qatar Programne 2 Here

MIQ Programme 1

• 20 February, 6:30 PM, VOX Cinemas at Doha Oasis Mall, Msheireb, Doha
• 22 February, 7:00 PM. Followed by Q&A with the filmmakers. VOX Cinemas at Doha Oasis Mall, Msheireb, Doha
• 24 February, 7:00 PM, VOX Cinemas at Doha Oasis Mall, Msheireb, Doha

A Simple Cut

Directed by: Maha Al-Jefairi
Qatar / Arabic / 2022 / 12 mins

14-year-old Kholoud’s rebellious haircut spirals into a series of misadventures, challenging cultural norms and reshaping her relationship with her traditional mother.

The Chandelier

Directed by: Karim Emara
Qatar, Egypt / Arabic / 2023 / 11 mins

Preparations for an impending and important job interview turn into a chaotic comedy with demanding in-laws and the relentless march of time.

Civilization of Equality

Directed by: Ibrahim Albuainain
Qatar / English / 2023 / 4 mins

A colourful group of animals spontaneously unite to ‘sing’ harmoniously in a heartwarming yet earnest attempt to educate their human counterparts on the value of peace and equality.

When It’s Time (El Maradh Ma Bektil)

Directed by: Awad Hashim Karrar
Qatar / Arabic / 2023

The documentary delves into the intricate relationship between a father and son, exploring their perspectives on mortality as Awad grapples with his father’s battle against cancer.

A Few Seconds

Directed by: Arman Mansouri
Qatar, Iran / Farsi / 2022 / 15 mins

In a sanctions-stricken Iran, a determined single mother navigates Tehran’s dangerous black market, racing against time to find life-saving medical dressings for her daughter.

Fraiha

Directed by: Amal Al-Shammari, Hossein Heydar
Qatar / Arabic / 2022 / 6 mins

A touching tale of Amal and her mother, Fraiha, who, despite her own illiteracy—becomes the cornerstone of her daughter’s academic achievements and success.

Sanad

Directed by: Noor Al-Nasr
Qatar / Arabic / 2023 / 20 mins

Jassim is forced to make a stop at a campsite after learning about his estranged brother Ali’s wild behaviour.

MIQ Programme 2

• 23 February, 7:00 PM. Followed by Q&A with the filmmakers. VOX Cinemas at Doha Oasis Mall, Msheireb, Doha
• 25 February, 7:00 PM, VOX Cinemas at Doha Oasis Mall, Msheireb, Doha

A’wan Al Kheir

Directed by: Farah Gomaa
Qatar / Arabic / 2022 / 7 mins

An observational documentary that explores the lives of Egyptian women living together. Amidst their seemingly ordinary routines, their hidden battles with health conditions unfold, revealing resilience and strength in the face of adversity.

A Proposal

Directed by: Nadia Al-Khater
Qatar / Arabic, English / 2023 / 13 mins

A young Qatari man dreams of marrying his American fiancé. However, he must first face a panel who holds his fate in their hands.

Do You Remember Me?

Directed by: Maryam Al-Mohammed
Qatar / Arabic

Areesha, a dedicated South Asian nurse living in Doha with her ailing mother, finds herself in a challenging position. Solely responsible for her mother’s care, she is compelled to take frequent leave from work, risking her job and the only means of affording her mother’s medications

Fragments

Directed by: Zaid Al Najati
Qatar / No Dialogue / 2023 / 13 mins

An experimental film that uses emotive visuals and sounds of an old house to immerse viewers in the timeless beauty of forgotten memories.

First Funeral Day

Directed by: Jehad Hallaq
Qatar / Arabic / 2022 / 13 mins

At her mother’s funeral, Sarah discovers a cryptic letter and sets out to find the mysterious Noor, leading to a surprising family revelation.

Kinship

Directed by: Ali Alhajri
Qatar / Arabic / 2023 / 13 mins

When a shadow emerges with the birth of his newborn, Khalid must confront his past.

Above the Tamarind Tree

Directed by: Buthyna Al-Mohammadi
Qatar / Arabic / 2023 / 7 mins

An introverted Qatari girl ventures into a wild valley, risking her life to reclaim her precious necklace from a mischievous parrot.

Indonesia Through the Lens
Doha Film Institute is honoured to present Indonesia Through the Lens—a curated film series that transcends borders, revealing our shared human experience through the diverse and compelling stories from Indonesia. In partnership with Qatar Museums, the Madani and Jogja Netpac Film Festival and the Indonesian Embassy in Qatar, this collection spans eras and genres, showcasing the unique power of film to connect cultures across continents.

Indonesia Through the Lens is more than a cinematic series; it’s a bridge between nations, inviting audiences to explore and resonate with universal themes that run through all nations. This series is a testament to the role of film in fostering global understanding and appreciation, demonstrating the deep-rooted connections and commonalities that bind us all, regardless of geography.

Join us as we mark the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture with a testament to the importance of cultural exchange in enriching and uniting diverse communities through shared artistic experiences.

• Thursday 7 December, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

After The Curfew (1954)

Directed by: Usmar Ismail

Set in the aftermath of Indonesia’s struggle for independence, ‘After the Curfew’ delves into the complex psyche of a former revolutionary…Read more

• Friday 8 December, 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Nussa (2021)

Directed by: Bony Wirasmono

Anticipating his father’s return after a year-long absence, the oh-so-clever 9-year-old Nussa ambitiously enters his school’s science competition…Read more

• Friday 8 December, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

What’s With Love? (2002)

Directed by: Rudy Soedjarwo

‘What’s Up with Love?’ is a beloved Indonesian romantic comedy that delves into the life of Cinta, a popular high school student…Read more

• Saturday 9 December, 3:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Filosofi Kopi (2015)

Directed by: Angga Dwimas Sasongko

Followed by Q&A with Producer Handoko Hendroyono

A captivating drama centred around the lives of Ben and Jody, two friends who own a struggling…Read more

• Saturday 9 December, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Indonesian Shorts Programme

Welcome to the Doha Film Institute’s compelling showcase of six short films from Indonesia, in partnership with Minikino Film Festival—each exploring unique but relatable aspects of our shared human experience. Join us for an evening of powerful short-form storytelling that not only reflects the richness of Indonesian cinema but also deeply resonates with the universal themes of love, loss, and resilience that transcend all borders.

Remembering The Serenade (2022)

A lonely middle-aged woman must decide whether to go on a date with her ex-lover or take care of her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Chintya (2019)

A series of intense family conversations in a confined car space unravels hidden conflicts and leads to a profound exploration of familial bonds and tolerance.

I Saw a Ghost, And It Was Beautiful (2022)

In a silent room filled with echoes of the past, Miss Eloise’s escape from monotony transforms into a haunting journey of self-discovery and mysterious revelations.

Kid Terminator (2022)

Young Abbas channels his grief into homemade films, leading to an unexpected journey of healing and understanding with his estranged father.

Sunrise in the Forest (2019)

In a quiet hamlet in the backwoods of West Java, a boy grappling with his father’s death finds guidance from an enigmatic spirit of the forest.

Uniform (2020)

In the shadow of Indonesia’s 1998 crisis, ‘Uniform’ explores generational views on masculinity, sparked by a simple childhood quarrel escalating into a clash of class and race.

• Sunday 10 December, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Aruna & Her Palate (2018)

Directed by: Edwin

A delightfully delectable culinary journey that mixes friendship, food, and a hint of romance. The film follows Aruna, a gourmet explorer…Read more

• Monday 11 December, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Ininnawa: An Island Calling (2023)

Directed by: Arfan Sabran

A moving documentary that captures the dedication and sacrifice of a family providing healthcare in the remote islands of Indonesia’s Flores Sea…Read more

• Tuesday 12 December, 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Seen and Unseen (2017)

Directed by: Kamila Andini

‘The Seen and Unseen’ is a mesmerising exploration of grief and healing through a child’s eyes…Read more

Voices from Palestine
A Film Series Presented by DFI

In these times of profound reflection and collective mourning, the Doha Film Institute extends a heartfelt invitation to join us for a deeply moving cinematic series dedicated to Palestine. This November, we come together in solemn solidarity to bear witness to the stories, the struggles, and the indomitable spirit of the Palestinian people through the lens of their own filmmakers.

From Elia Suleiman’s hauntingly beautiful ‘The Time That Remains’ to a diverse selection of films that encapsulate the Palestinian experience, we endeavour to create a space of understanding, empathy, and shared humanity. These films are more than just stories—they are a cry for justice, a call for acknowledgement, and a means to preserve the narratives of a people facing the unspeakable.

In the face of adversity, let us come together as a community, as advocates for peace, justice, and steadfast supporters of Palestinian voices. Your participation is a powerful act of solidarity and a step towards a brighter future where every voice is heard…

• Thursday 2 November, 8:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

The Time That Remains

Directed by: Elia Suleiman

In partnership with Filmlab Palestine as part of a global activation of their ‘Palestine Cinema Days’.

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

Fuad, a gunsmith, witnesses the destruction in Nazareth after the Israeli takeover in 1948. Years later, his son Elia grows up defiant of the Israeli occupation and has trouble accepting the change…Read more

• Friday 3 November, 4:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

My Love Awaits Me by the Sea

Directed by: Mais Darwazah

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

On discovering the drawings and poems of the late Hasan Hourani, who had drowned a few months earlier, director Mais Darwazah felt the ebullience of having found a kindred spirit. A singular painter and poet, Hourani created a fantastical world in which he was a perpetual child, stuck in boyhood, his freedom not limited by the occupation under which he grew up in Palestine. Darwazah was inspired by Hourani’s wondrous reveries, in which he lives underwater, sleeps in the clouds, and falls in love with a fish…Read more

• Friday 3 November, 8:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

Divine Intervention

Directed by: Elia Suleiman

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

In Nazareth, under the guise of banal normalcy, the town embraces folly. Under pressure due to his failing business, a man takes matters into his own hands and tries to break a chain reaction of petty feuds. He breaks down himself. The man is Elia Suleiman’s father. A love story takes place between a Palestinian man living in Jerusalem and a Palestinian woman from Ramallah. The maN—E.S.—shifts between his ailing father and his love life, trying to keep both alive…Read more

• Saturday 4 November, 4:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

3000 Nights

Directed by: Mai Masri

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

Falsely accused of being involved in terrorist activity, Layal is arrested, interrogated, and incarcerated in an Israeli jail. As she becomes accustomed to being surrounded by hardened Israeli criminals and Palestinian political prisoners, all to the tune of the torment visited by cruel guards and a nearly sadistic warden, Layal discovers she is pregnant. Life in prison acts as a metaphor for living under occupation…Read more

• Saturday 4 November, 8:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

The Roof

Directed by: Kamal Aljafari

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

This deceptively quiet film presents a portrait of Aljafari’s family in Ramleh and Jaffa that hovers between documentary and cinematic memoir, guided by a nimble camera moving calmly but ceaselessly around the rooms of homes inhabited, damaged and ruined. The title refers to the roof missing from the house where Aljafari’s family resettled in 1948, a home unfinished, an incomplete construction project…Read more

• Sunday 5 November, 7:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

Dégradé

Directed by: Arab and Tarzan Nasser

A hot summer’s day in the Gaza Strip. Today the electricity is on. Christine’s beauty salon is heaving with female clients: a bitter divorcée, a religious woman, a lunatic addicted to prescription drugs, a young bride-to-be accompanied by her asthmatic mother and her quarrelsome mother-in-law, and a very pregnant woman, among others. But their day of leisure is disrupted when gunfire breaks out across the street…Read more

• Monday 6 November, 7:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege

Directed by: Abdallah Al-Khatib

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

The district of Yarmouk in Damascus, Syria, sheltered the largest Palestinian refugee camp in the world from 1957 to 2018. When the Syrian revolution broke out, Bashar Al-Assad’s regime saw Yarmouk as a refuge of rebels and resistance, besieging the camp from 2013 onwards. Gradually deprived of food, medicine and electricity, Yarmouk was cut off from the rest of the world…Read more

• Tuesday 7 November, 7:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

200 Meters

Directed by: Ameen Nayfeh

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

Mustafa (Ali Suliman) and his wife Salwa live a mere 200 metres apart in two Palestinian villages, separated by a dividing wall. One day he gets a call every parent dreads—his son has been in an accident. Rushing to cross the Israeli checkpoint, Mustafa is denied on a technicality. But a father’s love won’t give up, and he will do anything to reach his son. A 200-metre distance becomes a 200-kilometre odyssey…Read more

• Wednesday 8 November, 7:00 PM, Katara, Building 16

Wajib

Directed by: Annemarie Jacir

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

Shadi returns to his hometown to help his father hand-deliver his sister’s wedding invitations. He has spent the last several years abroad, and there is little he misses about this place he left a long time ago. As the two men drive around Nazareth, Abu-Shadi tries to connect with his son. Drily humorous, ‘Wajib’ takes place over the course of one day as these two men travel from house to house, beginning a new relationship…Read more

• Thursday 9 November, 6:30 PM, Katara, Building 16

200 Meters (A DFI Inclusive Screening)

Directed by: Ameen Nayfeh

Followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

Working in partnership with the Translation and Interpreting Institute of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University and with the support of Katara Studios—we are honoured to host an inclusive experience for audiences of all abilities with a screening of a DFI-supported film by Ameen Nayfeh, ‘200 Meters’…Read more

Indie Indonesia
A Year of Culture Film Series

In our compelling summer series, we are delighted to present three films by emerging and established filmmaking talent from Indonesia that bridge the divide between commercial and independent cinema.

The showcase is part of the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture, which is an annual programme developed to deepen understanding between nations through mutual exchanges of arts, culture, heritage, and sports.

• Thursday, 31 August 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Before, Now & Then

Directed by: Kamila Andini

A woman finds refuge in a second marriage to a wealthy man, but her existence remains fragile as she navigates his patriarchal values and penchant for taking mistresses…Read more

• Friday, 1 September 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Galang

Directed by: Adriyanto Dewo

After leaving and losing his sister in a riot that occurs at an underground music concert, a boy tries to join the group to find reasons and answers for his guilt…Read more

• Saturday, 2 September 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Mecca, I’m Coming

Directed by: Jeihan Angga

Eddy tries to prove to Eni’s father that he’s worth it to be Eni’s husband by going hajj to Mecca. But something along the way makes the journey have its obstacles…Read more

Stories of Strength
World Refugee Day Screenings

The United Nations ‘World Refugee Day’ is a powerful reminder of the resilience, strength, and courage displayed by millions of individuals around the world. It is a day that honours the countless refugees who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or other dire circumstances.

In partnership with UNHCR and the Museum of Islamic Arts, Doha Film Institute is proud to present a series of short films that celebrate the unwavering spirit of refugees and recognise that behind every statistic lies a unique story—an individual who dreams of safety, peace, and a brighter future.

We hope you can join us for our screenings and an exhibition showcasing hand-crafted refugee items and portraits of the displaced. Together, we can raise awareness and support those seeking refuge, ensuring that no one is left behind in their pursuit of safety, security, and a place to call home.

• Tuesday, 20 June 2023 at 7:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Short Film Programme

Hope

Directed by: Mohammad Shaikhow

Hévi and Walat, a Kurdish-Syrian refugee couple in their thirties, meet a human trafficker. They try to cross an undefined border amid an endless environment…

Just Another Memory

Directed by: Mariam Al-Dhubhani

Amidst the ongoing war in Yemen, torn between being “safe” and “away”, weighed down by the ever-present mental and emotional baggage that still holds you back…

Rest In Piece

Directed by: Antoine Antabi

Midyan is forced to flee his war-torn home. Packing only a suitcase of his dearest possessions, he embarks on a perilous journey into the unknown…

Director, Editor, Pioneer: A Moufida Tlatli Film Series

2–5 June 2023
Museum of Islamic Art

Join us for a weekend celebration of the pioneering director and editor, Moufida Tlatli, one of the first female filmmakers from the Arab world to achieve worldwide acclaim. Born in Tunisia in 1947, Tlatli studied editing in Paris before returning to Tunis in 1972. Her name appears on the credits of some of the most influential Arab films from 1970 to 1990, including Michel Khleifi’s ‘Fertile Memory’ (1981), Nacer Khemir’s ‘Wanderers of the Desert’ (1984), and ‘Caméra Arabe’ (1987) by Ferid Boughhedir.

Tlatli was the first Arab woman to direct a full feature-length film in the Arab World. She came to international attention in 1994 when her debut film, ‘The Silences of the Palace’, won prizes at the Cannes Film Festival’s Golden Camera, the Golden Tanit of Carthage, the British Film Institute Awards’ Sutherland Trophy, and Toronto Film Festival’s International Critics’ Award. Her second film, ‘The Season of Men’, was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and extended her reputation as a unique and powerful female voice in Arab filmmaking.

Tlatli’s groundbreaking films paved the way for Arab feminist and independent cinema—leaving a lasting impression on the Arab filmmaking industry and beyond.

• Friday, 2 June 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Wanderers of the Desert (1984)

Directed by: Nacer Khemir

The first of Nacer Khemir’s highly-regarded Desert Trilogy, ‘Wanderers of the Desert’, follows a young teacher who arrives to take over a village school isolated in the…Read more

• Saturday, 3 June 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Silences of the Palace (1994)

Directed by: Moufida Tlatli

Set in 1960s Tunisia, this film focuses on Alia, who visits the palace where her mother, Khedija, was once employed. The journey triggers unpleasant recollections about the…Read more

• Sunday, 4 June 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Season of Men (2000)

Directed by: Moufida Tlatli

The gulf between men and women in Tunisia, political, psychological, and physical, is explored in this downbeat drama. A woman and her two daughters return to the female community on the island of Djerba from Tunis, where her husband works….Read more

• Monday, 5 June 2023 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Fertile Memory (1981)

Directed by: Michel Khleifi

Lyrically blending both documentary and narrative elements, the film skillfully crafts a portrait of two Palestinian women whose individual struggles both define and transcend the politics that have torn apart their homes and their lives….Read more

Year of Culture Series
Qatar-USA 2021

Katara Drama Theatre
October 26-30, 2021
Free ticketed event (need to reserve in advance on dohafilminstitute.com)

Five Iconic films that helped shape the trajectory of American Independent Cinema as we know it today

• 7:00 PM on Tuesday, 26 October

Badlands

Directed by: Terrence Malick

A dramatization of the Starkweather-Fugate killing spree of the 1950s, in which a teenage girl and her twenty-something boyfriend slaughtered her entire family and several others in the Dakota badlands…Read more

• 7:00 PM on Wednesday, 27 October

Elephant Man

Directed by: David Lynch

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his “owner” as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film), a severely deformed man in 19th century London…Read more

• 7:00 PM on Thursday, 28 October

Napoleon Dynamite

Directed by: Jared Hess

A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home…Read more

• 7:00 PM on Friday, 29 October

Amreeka

Directed by: Charien Dabis

Eager to provide a better future for her son, Fadi, divorcée Muna Farah leaves her Palestinian homeland and takes up residence in rural Illinois — just in time to encounter the domestic repercussions of America’s disastrous war in Iraq. Now, the duo must reinvent their lives with some help from Muna’s sister, Raghda, and brother-in-law, Nabeel…Read more

• 7:00 PM on Saturday, 30 October

The Rider

Directed by: Chloe Zhao

Once a rising star of the rodeo circuit, and a gifted horse trainer, young cowboy Brady is warned that his riding days are over after a horse crushed his skull at a rodeo. In an attempt to regain control of his own fate, Brady undertakes a search for a new identity and what it means to be a man in the heartland of the United States…Read more

Indie Hits

Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Indie Hits’, a compelling selection of features and shorts that showcase the latest and greatest in American independent cinema from the festival circuit and beyond.

• Thursday, 21 October 2021 at 5:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre
• Friday, 22 October 2021 at 8:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Nine Days

Directed by: Edson Oda

Will spends his days in a remote outpost watching a live feed of people going about their lives, until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates—unborn souls—arrive at Will’s to undergo tests determining their fitness, facing oblivion when they are deemed unsuitable…Read more

• Thursday, 21 October 2021 at 8:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Minari

Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, ‘Minari’ follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother…Read more

• Friday, 22 October 2021 at 5:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Short Film Programme

Feeling Through

Directed by: Doug Roland

A late-night encounter on a New York City street leads to a profound connection between a teen in need and a man who is Deaf-Blind…Read more

A Concerto is a Conversation

Directed by: Ben Proudfoot, Kris Bowers

The story of virtuoso pianist and film composer Kris Bowers as he tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall…Read more

Dear Philadelphia

Directed by: Renee Maria Osubu

With the help of their family, friends, and faith, three fathers unravel the incomparable partnership of forgiveness and community in North Philadelphia…Read more

Two Balloons

Directed by: Mark C. Smith

Two adventurous lemurs navigate their airships across the beautiful sky to meet each other as agreed. But their plan is suddenly disrupted by an approaching storm…Read more

The Elephant’s Song

Directed by: Lynn Tomlinson

‘The Elephant’s Song’ tells the true and tragic tale of Old Bet, the first circus elephant in America, as recounted in song by her friend the old farm dog…Read more

Radiance

Directed by: Chialing Yang

A short, semi-autobiographical animation that uses a hand-drawn style to tell the story of a young girl who is coping with the loss of her much-beloved grandmother…Read more

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series will include recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• Thursday, 14 October 2021 at 7:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre
• Friday, 15 October 2021 at 7:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre
• Saturday, 16 October 2021 at 7:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

Directed by: Morgan Neville

An intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how an anonymous chef who lived his life unabashedly became a world-renowned cultural icon. From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville, this unflinching look at Bourdain…Read more

• Thursday, 5 March 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 6 March 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 7 March 2020 at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

143 Sahara Street

Directed by: Hassen Ferhani

Malika lives alone in the middle of the desert. There she runs a small restaurant serving two dishes, omelette or tomato omelette, to those who pass through like fleeting apparitions… Read more

• Thursday, 6 February 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 7 February 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 8 February 2020 at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Marona’s Fantastic Tale

Directed by: Anca Damian

Victim of an accident, a small female dog remembers her different masters she has unconditionally loved… Read more

PREMIERE SCREENING

• Thursday, 23 January 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 24 January 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 25 January 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Little Women

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women each determined to live life on their own terms… Read more

Doha Forum Special Screening

• Sunday, 15 December 2019 at 7:00 PM, The Fire Station Cinema

Lost in Lebanon

Directed by: Georgia Scott, Sophia Scott

Film screening followed by a Q&A session with the directors.

‘Lost in Lebanon’ gains access to unknown stories in a region that is on the fringes of devastation. Spending over a year in Lebanon, in Beirut and on the borders of Syria, this film tells the story… Read More

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