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‘Where Do We Go Now?’ and ‘Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope’ Take Audience Awards

Leona Lewis Performs at Katara Closing Night Gala

Doha, October 29, 2011: The 3rd edition of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) closed with a gala at the specially-constructed Katara Open Air Theatre with the MENA Premiere of Luc Besson’s latest film The Lady, in the presence of the film’s director and star, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh. The screening was followed by a rousing live performance by pop superstar Leona Lewis.

The festival’s Best Narrative Film and Best Documentary Audience Awards (USD 100,000) were bestowed on Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki’s Where Do We Go Now? and documentarian Morgan Spurlock’s Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, respectively.

A host of luminaries and filmmakers were in attendance, including The Lady producer Virginie Besson-Silla, Jury President Mohammad Malas, actresses and jury members Robin Wright and Carmen Lebbos, Documentary Jury President *Nick Broomfield, filmmakers Eric Khoo, Jasmila Zbanic, and Hakim Belabbes, Head of Istanbul Film Festival Azize Tan, and Founder of Tribeca enterprises and DFI Cultural Partner Robert De Niro.

Others who walked the red carpet for Closing Night included Normal director Merzak Allouache (Best Arab Narrative Film winner), The Virgin The Copts and Me director Namir Abdel Messeeh (winner of Best Arab Documentary Film), documentarian Rania Stephan, Emirati filmmaker Abdulla Al Kaabi, director of The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni, Abdulaziz Al-Nujaym, director of Best Arab Short Film winner Where Are You?, and Black Gold star Jan Uddin.

The third DTFF was held October 25-29, and featured a diverse selection of films from the Middle East and 35 countries around the world. The roster of celebrities and notables who were in town for DTFF included Egyptian Screen legends Yosra and Omar Sharif, Freida Pinto, Mark Strong, Rob Lowe, and globally renowned French photographer Brigitte Lacombe.

Closing Night photographs can be downloaded from the following link:

About Doha Film Institute (DFI):

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) is an independent cultural organisation established in 2010 to incorporate Qatar’s film initiatives under one banner.

Located at Qatar’s new cultural hub, Katara, DFI’s many initiatives include film and television funding for MENA and international films, year-round education programs, film screenings, and the annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF).

In addition, DFI has established a number of strategic cultural partnerships with leading local and international organisations including Katara Cultural Village Foundation, Tribeca Enterprises, World Cinema Foundation, Maisha Film Labs and Giffoni Film Festival.

DFI was founded by H.E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Along with Her Excellency, DFI leadership comprises DFI Board Vice-Chair and Festival Board Chair, H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Fahad Al-Thani; DFI Board Member and Festival Board Vice-Chair, H.E. Dr. Hassan Al-Nimah; DFI Board Member, Mr. Mansoor Ibrahim Al-Mahmoud; Festival Board Member, H.E. Sheikh Jabor Bin Yousuf Al Thani; and DFI Executive Director, Amanda Palmer.