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Doha, Qatar; October 4, 2017: The Doha Film Institute has opened invitations from 8 to 21-year-olds based in Qatar and around the region, to be an Ajyal Juror and gain fascinating insights into the world of cinema and its power to shape minds. Now in its fifth year, the Ajyal Youth Film Festival is an annual cultural event by the institute that brings the entire community together, and is designed to empower the regions youth and foster their creativity, through the medium of film.

Taking place from November 29 to December 4, the selected jurors will be at the very heart of the festival, and responsible for picking its eventual winners. Being an Ajyal Juror is a highly-creative learning experience that instils an appreciation of cinema as well as the values of teamwork, critical thinking and leadership. As jurors, they will not only watch and discuss the films on show but also discover cinema from a fresh perspective and get the opportunity to make lasting friendships with young people from across the world.

Fatma Al Remaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “We are exceptionally proud of our Ajyal Jury programme, an initiative that puts the spotlight on our young people and gives them the opportunity to learn more about cinema and the creative arts. Few other film events have such a young and diverse team that is mandated to choose the winning films.

“Over the past five years, we have seen many young people return regularly to be an Ajyal Juror, while some of them have gone on to pursue film studies or take up careers in the creative industry. By presenting compelling stories of hope and empowerment to today’s youth, Ajyal aims to bring awareness of global issues, cultures and values that will make them responsible citizens of the future and allow them to use their energy to bring about positive change far beyond Ajyal.”

To register to be an Ajyal Juror visit: https://www.dohafilminstitute.com/ajyaljury
The last date for application is October 26, 2017. For more information or queries, email: ajyaljury@dohafilminstitute.com

Last year, more than 500 young people from 45 countries served as Ajyal Jurors, who had an opportunity to view film not just from the perspective of entertainment but as a medium that can bring about positive social change. Categorized into three competition segments – Mohaq, Hilal and Bader, Ajyal jurors not only judge films but also attend workshops, panels and discussions, centered around the power of film.

Mohaq, ‘New Moon’ in Arabic, are Ajyal’s youngest jurors, aged 8 to 12. At Ajyal Youth Film Festival, they will watch a programme of short films and four feature-length films, and choose the winners. Ajyal’s jurors aged 13 to 17 make up Hilal, which means ‘Crescent Moon’ in Arabic. Four feature films and a programme of shorts make up the Hilal jury’s festival programme. The most mature of Ajyal’s juries, Bader (Arabic for ‘Full Moon’) jurors are aged 18 to 21 and will select their favourite films from four features and two programme of short films.

The Ajyal Jurors get to meet the film directors and actors attending the event, take part in workshops on filmmaking techniques and language, and be part of the diverse breadth of activities that will be held as part of the Ajyal Youth Film Festival.

Ajyal Youth Film Festival brings generations together through a series of activities and events that inspire creative interaction among all segments of the community. The Festival presents daily public screenings, special presentations, Cinema Under the Stars, Family Weekend activities, in-depth discussions through the Ajyal Talks series among others.