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In partnership with the British Council and Qatar Museums Authority to celebrate Qatar UK 2013.

Doha, Qatar; February 6 , 2013: Doha Film Institute’s (DFI) year round film series launches an exciting programme of public screenings that will open with the Qatar Premiere of the British classic ‘The Red Shoes’ (1948; dir. Powell & Pressburger) at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), on Thursday, February 28th in celebration of Qatar-UK 2013.

In partnership with the British Council and the Qatar Museums Authority to celebrate Qatar UK 2013, Doha Film Institute presents the DFI UK Cinema Showcase at the MIA Auditorium – a series of monthly screenings throughout 2013 celebrating the power of classic and contemporary films from the British canon. Throughout the year certain screenings within the showcase will be attended by British filmmaking talent, and since Qatar-UK 2013 is a reciprocal initiative, DFI will also create a series of opportunities to bring Arab and more specifically, Qatari filmmaking talent to the UK. This celebration of UK film culture will culminate in a special section of programming at the 2013 Doha Tribeca Film Festival.

Academy Award winner, ‘The Red Shoes’, is the classic tale of a young ballerina torn between her art and her romance with a young composer. Created by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, it is the quintessential backstage drama and dance film, as well as one of the most glorious Technicolor feasts ever created. The beloved classic has been restored for new generations to experience and lives on as an enthralling tribute to the life of the artist and a milestone work of British cinema.

A true classic in every sense, ‘The Red Shoes’ takes you behind the scenes of the entrancing art of ballet in its golden age. The incredible performances, magical music and choreography, and mesmerising cinematography exceptionally demonstrate the well-earned Academy Awards® for Best Art Direction and Best Music. As well as the many nominations and awards bestowed upon the film, ‘The Red Shoes’ is rated in the top 100 list of British films by the British Film Institute. Martin Scorsese also famously introduced a restored version of the film when he served as honorary president of the Cannes Classics section at the film festival in 2009.

Mr Abdulaziz Al-Khater, Chief Executive Officer, Doha Film Institute, said: “The Qatar-UK initiative is an exciting opportunity for us to celebrate the breadth and quality of British filmmaking with local audiences. There is clearly a demand for great films that showcase the best in international cinema and enhance film appreciation here in Doha.”

Martin Hope, Director of the British Council, said: “We are delighted to be involved in developing the programme and to have some of our most celebrated films shown and appreciated by the people of Qatar. In addition, this reciprocal initiative will see films from the Arab world and Qatar screened in the UK, providing new insights into regional filmmaking for UK audiences. We look forward to working with DFI and to promoting mutual awareness between our two nations.”

Commenting on the importance of the programme Miguel Blanco, Director of Strategic Cultural Relations, Qatar Museums Authority, said: “Qatar UK 2013 aims to celebrate our two nations through the shared love of arts and culture. The showcase of British filmmaking at the Museum of Islamic Art is an excellent example of the exiting world-class events that will take place in Qatar and across the UK during the year.”

There will be three screenings of ‘The Red Shoes’ at the MIA Auditorium. The opening night will take place from 6:00pm on Thursday, February 28th with the screening at 7:30pm. The other screenings will take place on Friday, March 1st at 4:00pm and at 7:00pm. Tickets are now on sale at www.dohafilminstitute.com and starting Saturday, February 23rd at the MIA DFI Ticket Outlet (see below for opening hours and location). Tickets are priced at QAR 35 for general public and a special discounted rate of QAR 25 for students.

The DFI UK Cinema Showcase will run monthly until Fall 2013 as part of Qatar-UK 2013 and will also be featuring screenings of ‘Shallow Grave’ (1994; dir. Danny Boyle), ‘Kes’ (1969; dir. Ken Loach) and ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ (1957; dir. David Lean). This programme builds on last year’s showcase of Japan’s rich and diverse cinematic traditions as part of Qatar-Japan 2012, celebrating of 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

For more information, please visit www.dohafilminstitute.com and look out for the next installment of screenings for the coming months.