Qumra

Qumra Screenings

This year, we are proud to present a selection of eight extraordinary feature-length films from the region and beyond. Our programme for 2024 is a true celebration of the art form, offering insights into different cultures, experiences, and visions that enrich our understanding of the world.

Each supported by the Doha Film Institute, these screenings highlight the institute’s role in championing cinema and reflect our commitment to fostering a dialogue between cultures. Audiences are invited to immerse themselves in a journey that spans genres, themes, and geographies—showcasing the power of film to entertain, enlighten, and unite.


    Fri, 1 March, 7:00 PM

  • Bye Bye Tiberias

    Director / Screenwriter: Lina Soualem
    Followed by Q&A session

    In her early twenties, Hiam Abbas left her native Palestinian village to follow her dream of becoming an actress in Europe, leaving behind her mother, grandmother, and seven sisters. Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to the village and questions for the first time her mother’s bold choices, her chosen exile, and the way the women in their family influenced both their lives...Read more

    • Fri, 1 March, 9:30 PM

  • Déserts

    Director / Screenwriter: Faouzi Bensaïdi

    Set in the vast, unforgiving landscapes of southern Morocco, ‘Déserts’ tells the tale of two petty criminals, Mehdi and Hamid, who traverse the desert in their wrinkled suits and ties. Their mission? To recover defaulted-upon loans for their agency from villagers stricken with poverty and struggling with drought. The film juxtaposes comedy with the harsh realities of life in the desert, presenting a unique road movie experience...Read more

    • Sat, 2 March, 7:00 PM

  • A Fidai Film

    Director / Producer: Kamal Aljafari
    Followed by Q&A session

    In the summer of 1982, the Israeli army invaded Beirut. During this time, it raided the Palestinian Research Center and looted its entire archive. The archive contained historical documents of Palestine, including a collection of still and moving images. Taking this as a premise, 'A Fidai Film' aims to create a counter-narrative to this loss, presenting a form of cinematic sabotage that seeks to reclaim and restore the looted...Read more

    • Sat, 2 March, 9:30 PM

  • Tiger Stripes

    Director / Screenwriter: Amanda Nell Eu

    The first amongst her friends to hit puberty, Zaffan, 12, discovers a terrifying secret about her body. Ostracised by her community, Zaffan fights back, learning that to be free, she must embrace the body she feared, emerging as a proud, strong woman. And like a tiger who has been dragged out of its habitat and poked because we fear it because we don’t know it—Zaffan decides to finally reveal her true self, her wrath, rage...Read more

    • Sun, 3 March, 7:30 PM

  • Geology Of Separation

    Director / Screenwriter: Yosr Gasmi, Mauro Mazzocchi
    Followed by Q&A session

    A poignant exploration of the migrant experience, this documentary-drama hybrid focuses on the lives of Abderhaman and Laly, two asylum seekers searching for a home but trapped in a land of limbo. The film perfectly captures the endless bureaucratic battles faced by those seeking refuge. The title refers to a time around 230 million years ago when our continents joined as one landmass called 'Pangea'...Read more

    • Mon, 4 March, 7:30 PM

  • Banel & Adama

    Director / Screenwriter: Ramata-Toulaye Sy
    Followed by Q&A session

    A touching narrative that examines the complexities of love against the backdrop of cultural and societal expectations in a remote village in northern Senegal. This Palme d'Or-nominated romantic drama film portrays the deep bond between starcrossed lovers Banel and Adama as they navigate the challenges posed by their community and traditions. The narrative is not just a confrontation between tradition...Read more

    • Tues, 5 March, 7:30 PM

  • About Dry Grasses

    Director / Screenwriter: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
    Followed by Q&A session

    A profound portrait centred around a young teacher named Samet, working in rural eastern Anatolia. With aspirations of relocating to Istanbul, his life takes an unexpected turn when he is accused of abusing a student. The film, noted for its exploration of moral dichotomies such as good versus evil and individualism against collectivism, delves deep into the despair of isolated communities and the complexities of...Read more

    • Wed, 6 March, 7:30 PM

  • The Mother of All Lies

    Director / Screenwriter: Asmae El Moudir Followed by Q&A session

    An evocative documentary offering a engrossing exploration of memory, history, and identity. Set against the backdrop of Morocco's tumultuous 1980s, particularly the Bread Riots and Years of Lead—the film uses a creative blend of interviews, miniature recreations, and doll-like figures to tell the story of El Moudir's own family. Through this innovative narrative approach, El Moudir interrogates the absence of her...Read more

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