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• Festival showcase on Monday includes special screenings of Danis Tanovic’s Emran Hashmi-starrer Tigers and the heart-warming Mia madre by master-director Nanni Moretti

Doha, Qatar; November 29, 2015: Following the opening night gala of director Hany Abu-Assad’s The Idol, the third Ajyal Youth Film Festival today offers the opportunity for film lovers to interact with the director and the ‘Arab Idol’ champion Mohammed Assaf today (Monday, November 30) at 5.30 PM at Katara Drama Theatre.

The Academy Award nominated director will engage in an in-depth conversation with Assaf about bringing his life story to the big screen, the power of combining music and cinema and the challenges facing Arab artists today. The Idol (Palestine, UK, Qatar, The Netherlands; 2015) will screen again at the festival on Thursday, December 3 at Katara Drama Theatre.

Ajyal Youth Film Festival hosts a slew of special screenings today including the gripping Tigers (India,
France, UK; 2014), directed by Danis Tanović. Starring Emran Hashimi, the film, set in Pakistan has Ayan (Hashmi), who works as a young salesman of locally made medical products. When he discovers that the infant formula he peddles leads in many cases to the death of babies, he launches a dangerous battle to bring international attention to the issue. Tigers will screen at 8 PM at Katara Drama Theatre (K16-DT).

Also watch the heart-warming Mia madre (Italy, France; 2015), directed by Nanni Moretti. The film is about Margherita, who is having rough time having split up with her actor boyfriend and the movie she is shooting running into trouble. From the makings of a tragedy, master-director Moretti derives a warm and witty family drama. Watch the film at 9 PM at Katara Opera House (KT-16).

Screening in the Mohaaq in-competition section is The Greatest House in the World (Guatemala, Mexico; 2015) at 9.15 PM at Katara 12 Theatre B, a lovely film about the never-ending circle of life. Directed by Ana V. Bojorquez and Lucia Carreras, the film is about Rocio, who is forced to end the family’s flock of sheep on her own when her mother unexpectedly goes into labour. When the littlest sheep in her flock goes missing, she is left alone to find it.

Also in the Mohaaq segment is the screening of Phantom Boy (Belgium, France; 2015), directed by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol. Hospitalised for a serious illness, 11-year-old Leo discovers he has the ability to leave his body for a short time and like a ghost, go anywhere. Through his adventures, he shows that being a hero is a whole lot more than just having special abilities. The film will screen at 8.30 PM at Katara 12 Theatre A.

On Monday, producer Paul Kewley will conduct an animation master class at 3 PM at Katara Drama Theatre. The producer of Shaun the Sheep, he will discuss how he made the transition from bit player to movie star as well as the role of producer. The programme is sponsored by Qatar Animation Centre, an initiative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Ajyal’s Creativity Hub will also be activated today (Monday, Nov. 30), with the opening of Sandbox at 10 AM. It is open for all and offers visitors an interactive environment to experience hands-on access to the latest digital gadgets. To celebrate 120 years of cinema, the Sandbox also offers visitors the opportunity to recreate their favourite movie moments in an interactive playground.

A game development workshop, organised by Doha Film Institute in collaboration with Qatar Animation Centre, will also be held on Monday from 6 PM at Katara Art Studios. The workshop is a lunch platform for participants to pitch their ideas at the Ajyal Pitchathon, a competition presented by the Institute in collaboration with ictQATAR’s Digital Incubation Centre. The winner will be able to join the Centre’s Idea Stage Programme.

A video game exhibition will open from 10 AM and will be held until Dec. 3 at Katara Building 18. The geekdom hub links video games to cinema with screenings and panels that discuss the impact of visual story-telling in contemporary media.

Festival-goers can purchase tickets from the Ajyal FNAC Ticket Outlet located in Lagoona Mall in addition to the Ajyal Katara Main Box Office located in Katara Building 12.

The Ajyal Katara Main Box Office will be open from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM from November 16th-27th, and from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM from November 28th to December 5th. The Ajyal FNAC Ticket Outlet will be open until December 5th from 2:00 PM till 9:00 PM.

Tickets can also be purchased securely online through the Festival’s website at ajyalfilm.com. Tickets are priced at QR 25 for regular screenings, and QR 40 for premium screenings (including the opening and closing night films). QM Culture Pass members get a discount of QR 5 on all regularly priced Festival screenings and events when they present their QM Culture Pass at any Festival ticket outlet. Pass holders can purchase up to two discounted tickets per screening.

For more information on the movie timings and the Ajyal Youth Film Festival, log onto www.dohafilminstitute.com.