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Doha, Qatar; November 16, 2021: At the ninth Ajyal Film Festival, presented by the Doha Film Institute, audiences were treated to delightful interactions with Alexi Pappas, Olympian, actor, filmmaker and author; and Mark Mangini, Academy Award-winning sound designer and Qumra Master, on the final day of the weeklong event.

Honoured by the Doha Film Institute with a special award, Mangini shared his journey as a sound designer, and the elaborate preparations he has done in search of the right sound for his work on films such as the critically acclaimed Dune, Blade Runner 2049, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Mad Max: Fury Road, the latter winning him the 2015 Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.

Mangini said a sound designer “is that individual working on a narrative programme, who is responsible for everything you hear besides the music. What you see on screen mostly comes with no sound, especially the kind of films I have worked on that are heavily visual effects driven.”

Alexi Pappas took the stage to inspire young people on how to achieve their goals through her inspiring session, sharing her own experiences in preparing for the Olympics and the need to care for one’s mental health. She urged jurors and the audience to chase their dreams, because “it is not a waste of time. Write down your goals, share it with a core team you trust, and commit to your dream.”

She also stressed the importance of acknowledging and addressing mental health. “When you are chasing a dream or doing anything hard, you are going to feel good a third of the time, ok for another third of the time, and not so ok for the next third. Understanding that changed my life.”

The seven-day Ajyal Film Festival featured a diverse mix of virtual and in-person events including film screenings, interactive discussions, multi-media art exhibit, Qatar’s largest pop-culture event Geekdom, and a drive-in cinema as part of a multisensory experience for all ages.