All Events

DFI Cinema

DFI Cinema is presented in partnership with several organisations, including Katara, the Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar Museums and Aspire Park. Programming includes contemporary independent cinema, filmmaker retrospectives, classic films and a regular presentation of works by Qatari and Gulf filmmakers.

Click here for ticket information.

Upcoming Screenings:

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series includes recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• Thursday, 5 March 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 6 March 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 7 March 2020 at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

143 Sahara Street

Directed by: Hassen Ferhani

Malika lives alone in the middle of the desert. There she runs a small restaurant serving two dishes, omelette or tomato omelette, to those who pass through like fleeting apparitions… Read more

Past Screenings:

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series will include recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• Thursday, 6 February 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 7 February 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 8 February 2020 at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Marona’s Fantastic Tale

Directed by: Anca Damian

Victim of an accident, a small female dog remembers her different masters she has unconditionally loved… Read more

PREMIERE SCREENING

• Thursday, 23 January 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 24 January 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 25 January 2020 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Little Women

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women each determined to live life on their own terms… Read more

Doha Forum Special Screening

• Sunday, 15 December 2019 at 7:00 PM, The Fire Station Cinema

Lost in Lebanon

Directed by: Georgia Scott, Sophia Scott

Film screening followed by a Q&A session with the directors.

‘Lost in Lebanon’ gains access to unknown stories in a region that is on the fringes of devastation. Spending over a year in Lebanon, in Beirut and on the borders of Syria, this film tells the story… Read More

Ajyal Award Winners Screening

• Thursday, 5 December 2019 at 5:30 PM and 8:00 pm, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

You Will Die at Twenty

Directed by: Amjad Abu Alala

On the day of her firstborn’s naming ceremony, a mother seeks out a travelling holy man to bless her son Muzamel, but is instead told that the boy will die at the tender age of twenty… Read More

• Friday, 6 December 2019 at 5:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

For Sama

Directed by: Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts

A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria… Read More

• Friday, 6 December 2019 at 8:000 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Farewell

Directed by: Lulu Wang

In this darkly-comedic, yet uplifting tale, Chinese-born, American-raised Billi (Awkwafina) finds out that her “Nai-Nai” has tragically been diagnosed with lung cancer… Read More

• Saturday, 7 December 2019 at 5:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Short Film Programme

Ajyal Award Winners

View More

• Saturday, 7 December 2019 at 8:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

1982

Directed by: Oualid Mouaness

As the academic year draws to a close at a school high in the mountains of Lebanon, eleven-year-old Wissam struggles to pluck up the courage to reveal his true feelings to classmate Joanna… Read More

Women in Film: An Indian Cinema Showcase

This programme seeks to highlight the distinct role of women within the history of Indian cinema. It showcases how progressively they became involved as much more than just symbols (whether as rebellious muses or objects of desire) but also as storytellers and directors within an evolving landscape. The programme aspires to involve the feminist and critical contributions to the writings of Indian cinema.

• Monday, 30 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Screening is free of charge, but a ticket is required for admission.

Kaagaz Ke Phool

Directed by: Guru Dutt

Suresh Sinha, a famous director, discovers star potential in Shanti, a woman he stumbled into one rainy evening, and casts her as the lead in a film… Read More

• Monday, 14 October 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Big City

Directed by: Satyajit Ray

Life at home changes when a house-wife from a middle-class, conservative family in Calcutta gets a job as a saleswoman… Read More

• Monday, 21 October 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Mirch Masala

Directed by: Ketan Mehta

Mirch Masala is a powerpacked film on the power of the suppressor being upsurped by the courage of one woman, and how unity brings to her fight the grace of revolution!… Read More

• Saturday, 2 November 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Khamoshi: The Musical

Directed by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Joseph and Flavy are deaf and dumb couple living in Goan village. They give birth to Annie and happy she is able to hear and speak. Few years later they give birth to a son Sam, Annie’s life revolves around music. But things turn when their family runs into crisis Joseph mother Maria passes away followed by death of Sam… Read More

• Sunday, 3 November 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, tonight’s screening of Monsoon Wedding will be cancelled.

Monsoon Wedding

Directed by: Mira Nair

A stressed father, a bride-to-be with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world create much ado about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India… Read More

• Monday, 4 November 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Water

Directed by: Deepa Mehta

The film examines the plight of a group of widows forced into poverty at a temple in the holy city of Varanasi. It focuses on a relationship between one of the widows, who wants to escape the social restrictions imposed on widows, and a man who is from the highest caste and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi… Read More

Rhythm and Flow

‘Rhythm and Flow’ is a celebration and homage to movement and rhythm on camera.

• Wednesday, 18 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Summer Interlude

Preceded by short film ‘Birds in the Earth’ directed by Marja Helander.

Directed by: Ingmar Bergman

A lonely woman recalls her first love thirteen years prior during a brief summer vacation… Read More

• Thursday, 19 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 21 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

La La Land

Directed by: Damien Chazelle

While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future… Read More

• Friday, 20 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Dancer in the Dark

Directed by: Lars von Trier

An east European girl goes to America with her young son, expecting it to be like a Hollywood film… Read More

• Sunday, 22 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Red Shoes

Preceded by short documentary ‘Ballet After Dark’ directed by B. Monét

Directed by: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger

A young ballet dancer is torn between the man she loves and her pursuit to become a prima ballerina… Read More

• Monday, 23 September 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Lil’ Buck: Real Swan

Preceded by short film ‘Birds in the Earth’ directed by Marja Helander.

Directed by: Louis Wallecan

Dancer Lil’ Buck grew up jookin and bucking on the streets of Memphis… Read More

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series will include recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• Thursday, 29 August 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 30 August 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 31 August 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Yomeddine

Directed by: A.B. Shawky

Beshay – a man cured of leprosy – has never left the leper colony in the Egyptian desert where he has lived since childhood. Following the death of his wife, he finally decides to go in search of his roots. With his meager possessions strapped to a donkey cart, he sets out… Read More

• Wednesday, 24 July 2019 at 7:00 PM, Katara Drama Theater
• Thursday, 25 July 2019 at 7:00 PM, Katara Drama Theater
• Friday, 26 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00, Katara Drama Theater

Long Day’s Journey into Night

A masterpiece of modern cinematography, ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’ is a visually stunning 3D experience that will have you on the edge of your seats

Directed by: Gan Bi

Luo Hongwu returns to Kaili, the hometown from which he fled several years ago. He begins the search for the woman he once loved, and whom he has never been able to forget. She said her name was Wan Qiwen but never revealed her true identity… Read More

Indian Cinema – Summer Hits

To celebrate the ‘Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture’, Doha Film Institute in partnership with Qatar Museums and the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, will be showcasing a number of exciting and genre-bending works from India’s freshest filmmaking voices. So be sure to join us at the Museum of Islamic Art in July to discover the latest and greatest in contemporary Indian cinema.

• Thursday, 4 July 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 5 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 6 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Village Rockstars

Directed by: Rima Das

In a small village in northeast India, 10-year-old Dhunu dreams of having her own rock band. Her vibrant spirit, imagination and self-assurance stand out in a world where girls are expected to be timid and submissive… Read More

• Thursday, 11 July 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 12 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 13 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota

Directed by: Vasan Bala

The story of a young boy, Surya, who was born with the rare condition of Congenital Insensitivity to pain, meaning he cannot feel pain—so he decides to learn martial arts in order to hunt down and catch criminals… Read More

• Thursday, 18 July 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 19 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 20 July 2019 at 4:00 PM & 7:00, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Andhadun

Directed by: Sriram Raghavan

A visually impaired pianist’s world careens into a series of shocking twists after he unintentionally lands at the murder scene of a former film star… Read More

Thematic Series – “In Search of Lost Time”

This program showcases tales of characters in search of lost time—be it time that has passed or still passing, or has yet to pass. Whether war-torn realities or a life-threatening sickness may strike them, these characters represent the fixtures of animators who want to keep searching for what once was, and what may come after.

• 18 April at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Alice

Directed by: Jan Svankamajer

In Czech director Jan Svankmajer’s surreal adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book, Alice follows her stuffed rabbit through a portal inside her dresser to be whisked away to Wonderland. While the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat are still present, the familiar magical world and bizarre characters have undergone an unsettling transformation in the director’s…Read More

• 19 April at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Illusionist

Directed by: Sylvain Chomet

The Illusionist is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers. With emerging rock stars stealing his thunder in the late 1950s, he is forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theatres, at garden parties and in bars and cafés. Then, while performing in a village pub off the west coast of Scotland, he encounters Alice, an innocent young girl, who will change his life forever…Read More

• 20 April at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Masterclass with Scott Curtis

Talk will be held in ‘English’ only

Animation is filled with characters who cross borders. From Koko the Clown (Fleischer Brothers) and Alice in Cartoonland (Disney) in the 1920s to the cast of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Robert Zemeckis, 1988) and Alice (Jan Švankmajer, 1988) and beyond, animated characters often act as avatars for our wish to cross between fantasy and reality, dream and waking life, past and present, or even life and death…Read More

• 20 April at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Shorts Program

Weekends

Directed by: Trevor Jimenez

Nominated for an Oscar earlier this year, ‘Weekends’ is the story of a young boy shuffling between the homes of his recently divorced parents. Surreal, dream-like moments mix with the domestic realities of a broken-up family in this hand-animated film set in 1980’s Toronto.

Black Barbie

Directed by: Comfort Arthur

In this thoughtful animation, Comfort Arthur narrates her attempts to lighten her skin and look like the perfect light-toned African Barbie. The personal journey she embarks on causes her to question societal ideals of beauty and whether she can accept herself as she is.

Blind Vaysha

Directed by: Theodore Ushev

Vaysha is not like other young girls; her left eye sees only the past. Her right, only the future. Blinded by what was and tormented by what will be, she remains trapped between two irreconcilable temporalities. In this metaphoric tale of timeless wisdom and beauty, filmmaker Theodore Ushev reminds us of the importance of living in the present moment.

Wild Life

Directed by: Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby

This Oscar-nominated short tells the story of a dapper young remittance man who is sent from England to Alberta to attempt ranching in 1909. However, his affection for badminton, bird watching and liquor leaves him little time for wrangling cattle. It soon becomes clear that nothing in his refined upbringing has prepared him for the harsh conditions of the New World.

Sandburg’s Arithmetic

Directed by: Lynn Diana Smith

Carl Sandburg, beloved American poet, narrates this animated short film based on his poem “Arithmetic.” The film takes place in Sandburg’s home in Flat Rock, North Carolina, where we see children not only adding and multiplying, but also experiencing numbers as part of the living, breathing world.

Begone Dull Care

Directed by: Evelyn Lambart and Norman Mclaren

In this extraordinary short animation, Evelyn Lambart and Norman McLaren painted colours, shapes, and transformations directly on to their filmstrip. The result is a vivid interpretation, in fluid lines and colour, of jazz music played by the Oscar Peterson Trio.

Late Afternoon

Directed by: Louise Bagnall

Oscar-shortlisted short film ‘Late Afternoon’ uses hand-drawn digital animation to poignantly explore the internal landscape of a woman with memory loss.

The Street

Directed by: Caroline Leaf

This award-winning animation is a poignant interpretation of a short story by Montreal author Mordecai Richler. It makes a strong statement about how many families respond to their old and infirm members. In washes of watercolour and ink, filmmaker Caroline Leaf illustrates reactions to a dying grandmother, capturing family feelings and distilling them into harsh reality.

Read More

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series will include recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• Thursday, 7 March 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Friday, 8 March 2019 at 6:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Wild Pear Tree

Directed by: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

‘The Wild Pear Tree’ follows Sinan—an aspiring writer who returns home after college hoping to make enough money to publish his first novel. He wanders the town encountering old flames and obstinate gatekeepers, only to find his youthful ambition increasingly at odds with the deferred dreams of his gambling-addict father…Read More

• Friday, 25 January 2019 at 4:00 and 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Saturday, 26 January 2019 at 4:00 and 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• Sunday, 27 January 2019 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Rojo

Directed by: Benjamin Naishtat

In the mid-seventies, a strange man arrives in a quiet provincial city. In a restaurant, without any apparent reason, he starts insulting Claudio, a renowned lawyer. The community supports the lawyer, and the stranger is humiliated and thrown out of the place…Read More

Russian Film Showcase

In celebration of Year of Culture Qatar – Russia 2018, the Doha Film Institute and Qatar Museums are proud to present ‘Russian Film Showcase”. The film programme highlights a selection of the most prominent masterpieces and classics of Soviet Union and Russian Cinema.

• 6 November at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

My Friend Ivan Lapshin

Directed by: Aleksei German

As a police detective in Stalinist Russia, Ivan Lapshin lives a life of extremes. At home in the communal flat he shares with other families, he is a kind,…Read More

• 13 November at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Come and See

Directed by: Elem Klimov

The invasion of a village in Byelorussia by German forces sends young Florya into the forest to join the weary Resistance fighters, against his family’s wishes…Read More

• 9 October at 6:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Battleship Potemkin

Directed by: Sergei Eisenstein

In the midst of the Russian Revolution of 1905, the crew of the battleship Potemkin mutiny against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessel’s officers…Read More

• 9 October at 8:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Alexander Nevsky

Directed by: Sergei Eisenstein, Dmitri Vasilyev

When German knights invade Russia, Prince Alexander Nevsky must rally his people to resist the formidable force…Read More

• 16 October at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Cranes are Flying

Directed by: Mikhail Kalatozov

Based on a play by V. Rusov, this film is a love story set during the early years of WWII. Widowed by the war, Tatyana Samoylova reluctantly marries her late …Read More

• 30 October at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Mirror

Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky

In ‘Mirror’, Tarkovsky mixes historical footage and original poetry to illustrate the reminiscences of a dying man about his childhood during World War II…Read More

Curated by:

Ajyal Film Series

Our Ajyal Film Series aims to keep the spirit of our annual Ajyal Film Festival alive throughout the year. ‘Ajyal’ means ‘generations’ in Arabic and we invite audiences of all ages and backgrounds to come and celebrate the power of cinema with us. As always, our family-friendly films will seek to spark curiosity, bring joy, create friendships, and empower the next generation.

In this instalment, we present the Made in Qatar short, ‘Walls’ by Nibu Vasudevan who will hold a short Q&A session following the screening, and Alfonso Cuarón’s family drama ‘A Little Princess’.

• 4 October at 6:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Walls

Directed by: Nibu Vasudevan

Followed by a Q&A session with Nibu Vasudevan

In a decaying world that has become nothing more than a trash heap, a race of skeleton-like, robotic creatures are engaged in a pointless…Read More

A Little Princess

Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón

A privileged, free-spirited young girl tries to adapt to life in a strict boarding school in this charming, critically acclaimed children’s fantasy. Read More

Magicians of the Light

Cinematographers are visionaries who manipulate light to make their imaginations a reality. The true masters produce iconic images that can redefine cinema. ‘Magicians of the Light’ is a series of five such films that showcase iconic works from cinematic mavericks who pushed the boundaries of the medium, leaving their legacy on cinematic history.

• September 19 at 6:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Life of Pi

Directed by: Ang Lee

After deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada, Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with their sons and a few remaining animals…Read More

• September 20 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Sansho the Bailiff

Directed by: Kenji Mizoguchi
With an introduction by Richard Peña

A film of unparalleled beauty by the great Japanese Master Kenji Mizoguchi. While on a journey to visit their father, a banished governor, Zushio and Anju are attacked,…Read More

• September 21 at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Seventh Seal

Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
With an introduction by Richard Peña

When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life…Read More

• September 21 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Days of Heaven

Directed by: Terrence Malick
With an introduction by Richard Peña

Visually and thematically, one of the most beautiful films ever made. ‘Days of Heaven’ is a screen poem about life in America at the turn of the century…Read More

• September 22 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Road to Perdition

Directed by: Sam Mendes
With an introduction by Richard Peña

Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is an enforcer for powerful Depression-era Midwestern mobster John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney’s son, Connor (Daniel Craig), is …Read More

• September 22 at 4:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Masterclass with Richard Peña

In his inspiring masterclass, Richard Peña, Professor of Film Studies at Columbia University and Director of the New York Film Festival from 1988 to 2012, will offer…Read More

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series will include recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• 13 September 2018 at 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• 14 September 2018 at 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Searching

Directed by: Aneesh Chaganty

After his 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a desperate father breaks into her laptop to look for clues to find her…Read More

• 6 September 2018 at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• 7 September 2018 at 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Rider

Directed by: Chloé Zhao

Visually stunning, emotionally arresting, and profoundly empathetic, ‘The Rider’ stars Brady Jandreau as a once-rising star of the rodeo circuit warned that his competition days are over after a…Read More

Fathers Through the Lens

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Fathers Through the Lens’, a selection of acclaimed films from around the world that celebrate paternal relationships through cinema.

• 26 April 2018 at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Wajib

Directed by: Annemarie Jacir

Film screening followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers:
Annemarie Jacir – Director
Ossama Bawardi – Producer
Mohammad Bakri – Actor

Shadi returns to his hometown to help his father hand-deliver his sister’s wedding invitations. He has spent the last several years abroad and there is little he misses about this place he left a long time ago…Read More

• 27 April 2018 at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Le Grand Voyage

Directed by: Ismaël Ferroukhi

Out of filial duty and a sense of adventure, Reda, a young French man, agrees to accompany his elderly Moroccan father on the hajj. The only catch: the journey from France to Saudi Arabia will be by car…Read More

• 28 April 2018 at 4 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, this is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Fox who live an idyllic home life with their son Ash and visiting young nephew Kristopherson. But after 12 years, the bucolic existence proves too much for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts…Read More

• 28 April 2018 at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Like Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi Ni Naru)

Directed by: Hirokazu Kore-Eda

Ryota is a successful Tokyo architect who works long hours to provide for his wife, Midori and six-year-old son, Keita. But when a blood test reveals Keita and another baby were switched at birth…Read More

• 29 April 2018 at 7 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Return (Vozvrashchenie)

Directed by: Andrey Zvyagintsev

Inseparable, if occasionally quarrelsome, young Ivan and his elder brother Andrei are shocked and excited when their father, who has not been home for 12 years and whom the boys only know from a faded photograph…Read More

Ajyal Film Series

Our new Ajyal Film Series aims to keep the spirit of our annual Ajyal Youth Film Festival alive throughout the year. ‘Ajyal’ means ‘generations’ in Arabic and we invite audiences of all ages and backgrounds to come and celebrate the power of cinema with us. As always, our family-friendly films will seek to spark curiosity, bring joy, create friendships, and empower the next generation.

• 12 April 2018 at 6 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Paper Planes

Preceded by the Made in Qatar short ‘Dana’s Kite’ and a Q&A session with the director Noor Al Nasr.

Directed by: Robert Connolly

When 11-year-old Dylan discovers his exceptional talent for creating paper planes, he becomes obsessed with his new hobby and eventually competes at the national level in Sydney…Read More

Dana’s Kite

Directed by: Noor Al-Nasr

Dana is playing with her kite on the beach at the water’s edge while her brother Ahmed sits on the sand messaging his friends on his mobile phone. She tries to get his attention but he’s too busy to see the amazing shell she has found…Read More

Special Screening

The Doha Film Institute, in partnership with the Embassy of Canada to Qatar and the Qatari Businesswomen’s Association, is delighted to present ‘Dream, Girl’, a documentary showcasing the stories of inspiring and ambitious female entrepreneurs.

• 26 March at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Dream, Girl

SOLD OUT

The screening is followed by a panel discussion session.
Free – first come, first served

Directed by: Erin Bagwell

Through in-depth interviews and access to the daily lives of five incredible entrepreneurs, ‘Dream, Girl’ paints a complex picture of what it means to be a leader…Read More

Contemporary Releases

The Doha Film Institute is delighted to present ‘Contemporary Releases’, a selection of the latest internationally and regionally acclaimed films. The series will include recent festival favourites, as well as the emerging new voices of DFI granted filmmakers.

• 22 March at 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium
• 23 March at 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Faces Places

Directed by: JR, Agnès Varda

‘Faces Places’ is a lively, fun, stirring tribute to art and its ability to touch people and bring souls together… Read More

• 15 February at 7:00 PM
• 16 February at 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM

Radiance

Directed by: Naomi Kawase

Misako is a struggling writer hired to create film audio descriptions for the visually impaired. At a screening, she meets Nakamori, an older photographer who is slowly losing his eyesight. He offers to help Misako with her scripts, and together they learn to see the subtly radiant world that is invisible to most eyes… Read More

• Thursday, 25 January, 7:00 PM
• Friday, 26 January, 4:30 PM
• Friday, 26 January, 7:00 PM

The Other Side of Hope

Directed by: Aki Kaurismäki

‘The Other Side of Hope’ follows two people searching for a place to call home. Displaced Syrian Khaled (Sherwan Haji) lands in Helsinki as a stowaway; meanwhile, middle-aged salesman Wikström (Sakari Kuosmanen) leaves behind his wife and job and buys a conspicuously unprofitable seafood restaurant. After Khaled is denied asylum, he decides not to return to Aleppo, and the paths of the two men cross fortuitously… Read More

In association with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Qatar, the Doha Film Institute proudly presents ‘What Tomorrow Brings’ in honour of International Human Rights Day.

• Saturday, 9 December, 7:00 PM

What Tomorrow Brings

Directed by: Beth Murphy

‘What Tomorrow Brings’ is a feature documentary that tells the story of the first all-girls’ school in a small Afghan village. It traces the interconnected stories of students, teachers, village elders, parents, and school founder Razia Jan… Read More

A Symphony of Films

Cinema is primarily considered to be a visual experience, but while of course we see film with our eyes, we experience it just as much with our ears. Music can serve cinema in a myriad of ways, enhancing a film’s emotional impact and storytelling process. This is why many great filmmakers rely on composers to create scores to complement their films.

DFI Cinema is proud to once again invite you to celebrate some of the works of great film composers who have collaborated with remarkable filmmakers from all over the world for a 2nd edition of “A Symphony of Films”.

• Thursday, 21 September, 7:30 PM

Score: A Film Music Documentary

Directed by: Matt Schrader

The dramatic moments of a film’s emotional climax are often driven by its score. This documentary gives a look into how composers develop some of the most iconic scores in history, chronically the creative challenges from the first few notes on a piano keyboard… Read More

• Thursday, 21 September, 10:00 PM

Batman

Directed by: Tim Burton

Crime rates in Gotham City continue to grow as it approaches its bicentennial, driving the Mayor to order police commissioner James Gordon to take new measures in making the city safer. Their main concern is mob boss Carl Girssom, just as he ends up having a falling out with his right-hand man Jack Napier… Read More

• Friday, 22 September, 7:30 PM

A Symphony of Films: Music from Britain and Qatar

Celebrated film composer Deborah Mollison sees the role of a composer as a commentator in society. In this concert, she’ll introduce her music including acclaimed title East is East with her personal comments.

The following selection of scores by Deborah Mollison span her career over twenty years of work in film and television. Each piece embodies the heart of the musical style that evolved for each project and as such illustrates a diversity of genre that has become well known in the work of Deborah Mollison.

As an orchestral composer from an early age, Mollison does not shy away from large instrumental forces and in this array of film cues we hear both epic and microscopic forms of composition, an emotional journey that we hope will capture your senses.

• Opening Titles from ‘The Boys of Sunset Ridge’
• ‘The Irish Empire’
• ‘East is East’
• ‘Infinite Justice’
• ‘Tied to a Chair’
• End Theme from ‘Heather‘s Painting’
• ‘Wild Weather’

The Qatari half of the program includes no fewer than three world premieres from Dana Al-Fardan, Nasser Nasseb and Wael Binali.

• Dana Alfardan: Necromancer
• Dana Alfardan: Intertwined
• Nasser Nasseb: Four Seasons
• Wael Binali: Earth
• Wael Binali: Niramaya

To purchase tickets please visit the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra website.

• Saturday, 23 September, 3:00 PM

Azur & Asmar: The Princes’ Quest

Directed by: Michel Ocelot

Once upon a time there were two children nursed by the same woman, Jenane. Jenane’s son, dark-haired, dark-eyed Asmar, and Azur, the blonde, blue-eyed son of a nobleman, were as close as brothers. They grew up with Jenane’s tales of the Djinn-fairy awaiting release by a heroic prince, before Azur’s father brutally separated the boys… Read More

• Saturday, 23 September, 5:30 PM

Masterclass with Dr. Deborah Mollison: Becoming a Film Composer

Dr. Deborah Mollison will investigate the journey needed to become a film composer and events on the way. Where does inspiration come from? How is it manifest?…Read More

• Saturday, 23 September, 8:30 PM

Bicycle Thieves

Directed by: Vittorio De Sica

Ricci, an unemployed family man in post-WWII Italy, is desperate for a good job. He gets one hanging up posters across Rome, which he needs a bicycle for. Soon after, his bike is stolen and he and his son venture the streets of the capital in search of it. When the bike is finally located and the thief caught, Ricci, having no proof, is forced to let it and the thief go. Both Ricci and his family know that without a bike, he cannot keep his job… Read More

• Sunday, 24 September, 7:30 PM

Stalker

Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky

The film follows a mission led by a Stalker, a professional guide to a mysterious restricted site known as the Zone, along with his two clients, a gloomy writer seeking inspiration and a professor searching for scientific discovery. A seemingly normal journey into the Room, a place where a person’s deepest desires are fulfilled, turns into a crisis for the Stalker… Read More

• Monday, 25 September, 7:30 PM

Pather Panchali

Directed by: Satyajit Ray

In a quiet, rural Indian village, Sarbojaya looks after her daughter, Durga, and son, Apu, as well as her husband Harihar’s elderly aunt. While Harihar, a writer and a poet, dreams of a better life for his family, the daily hardships of their impoverished circumstances stack up against the family… Read More

As part of Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture

• Tuesday, 26 September, 7:30 PM

Metropolis

Directed by: Fritz Lang

The Complete Metropolis (2010 release) silent film by director Fritz Lang is presented with live accompaniment by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra who will be playing the original film score by Gottfried Huppertz which was reconstructed and adapted for performance use by Frank Strobel in 2010 and which includes the missing instrumentation parts by Marco Jovic.

Synopsis:
The story takes place in the future in the city of Metropolis. The city is divided into two parts, the rich and powerful in the Upper Town and the slave-like workers who run their machinery in the Lower Town. Johann Fredersen rules over the city, claiming himself as its brain and those in the Lower Town as nothing more than mere ‘hands’ of the machinery. When Johann’s son, Freder, follows Maria, a young woman from Lower Town preaching the values of love and reconciliation, he unsuccessfully pleads his father to improve the inhumane conditions he came to witness.
Johann, fearing a revolt, commissions the scientist Rotwang to create a robot version of Maria, which would enable him to influence the workers as he pleased. Rotwang, a long-time rival of Johann’s, develops his own plan to use robot Maria to destroy the city

To purchase tickets please visit the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra website.

FILMPHILHARMONIC EDITION
Film by courtesy of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung,
Music by courtesy of EUROPEAN FILMPHILHARMONIC INSTITUTE.

A Window on Contemporary Arab Cinema

DFI Cinema presents A Window on Contemporary Arab Cinema, featuring films that have been recipients of DFI Grants. The series focuses on emerging talent from the Middle East and features the Qatar premieres of four ground-breaking works by young artists, alongside a compilation of short films from across the region.

Ticket Package
A Window on Contemporary Arab Cinema Ticket Package: 75 QR

Ticket Package grants buyer one ticket to each screening in the ‘A Window on Contemporary Arab Cinema’ film series (10 – 12 May, 5 screenings). Offer available online and in person while supplies last.

Buy Ticket Package

Short Film Programme

• Wednesday, 10 May, 5:30 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Maqloubeh

Directed by: Nicolas Damuni

Five young art students awake to the sound of gunfire and bombardment. As the electricity has been cut and a curfew imposed, they do not know what is happening outside… Read More

Selma

Directed by: Mohamed Ben Attia

After the accidental death of her taxi-driver husband, Selma decides to become master of her own life by taking over his taxi… Read More

Waves ’98

Directed by: Ely Dagher

The complex relationship of contemporary Beirutis to their troubled home city is beautifully imagined in Ely Dagher’s Palme d’Or-winning ‘Waves ‘98’… Read More

The Desert Fish

Directed by: Alaa Eddine Aljem

The southern desert of Morocco. The son wants to become a fisherman and is always dreaming of the sea. His father, a gravedigger, cannot understand his son’s desire to leave their land… Read More

The Wall

Directed by: Odette Makhlouf Mouarkech

In this engaging and endearing short, director Odette Makhlouf Mouarkech locates a seemingly impersonal structure that became the anchor of a community… Read More

• Wednesday, 10 May, 8:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Eyes of a Thief

Directed by: Najwa Najjar

Inspired by real events, ‘Eyes of a Thief’ is a rare glimpse into Palestinian society from the inside. At the height of the 2002 Palestinian Uprising, Tareq,… Read More

• Thursday, 11 May, 8:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Dégradé

Directed by: Arab Abunasser, Tarzan Abunasser

A hot summer’s day in the Gaza Strip. Today the electricity is on. Christine’s beauty salon is heaving with female clients: a bitter divorcée, a religious woman, a lunatic addicted to prescription drugs,… Read More

• Friday, 12 May, 5:30 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

The Dark Wind (Reseba)

Directed by: Hussein Hassan

Reko and Pero, a young Yazidi couple, prepare for family life in their village Boza. Suddenly, Islamic State fighters attack the Shingal region of Kurdistan. At this moment, Reko is absent… Read More

• Friday, 12 May, 8:00 PM, Katara Drama Theatre

Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim

Directed by: Sherif El Bendary

Ali loves a goat called Nada. Ibrahim is a depressed sound engineer who hears voices he cannot decipher. Ali’s mother drags him to a healer, who gives Ali stones to throw into the water so that he will be healed… Read More

Creators of Horror

DFI Cinema invites you to a thrilling series of films that will put you on the edge of your seat. Our Creators of Horror series celebrates the craft of eclectic filmmakers who have redefined the genre.

• Thursday, 20 April, 7:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Psycho

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Marion Crane makes a terrible mistake: she steals a large sum of money from her employer’s safe. With that, she is on the lam. Eventually, of course,… Read More

• Friday, 21 April, 3:00 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Jumanji

Directed by: Joe Johnston

In 1969, young Alan Parrish is a rich kid having a tough time. He’s a great target for the town bully, who warns him to keep away from his girlfriend Sarah after he steals Alan’s… Read More

Made In Qatar Thriller Programme

• Friday, 21 April, 5:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Qarar

Directed by: Ali Al Anssari

Like a George Romero movie, or an installment of ‘The Walking Dead’ set in post-apocalyptic Qatar, ‘Qarar’ tells the suspenseful tale of a young married couple… Read More

Asfoora

Directed by: Mayar Hamdan

When she is caught cheating on an exam, Jana is sent to detention, where she encounters a cruel bird that taunts her mercilessly. The school girl goes to extreme… Read More

I

Directed by: Ali Al Anssari

A psycho demands perfection in every aspect of his life. When he notices that his friend has an asymmetrical face, he decides to take… Read More

Man of the House

Directed by: Khalifa AlMarri

A teenager lovingly cares for his baby brother. His parents, he explains in voiceover, have left the family, so he is now the man of the house. But something doesn’t… Read More

• Friday, 21 April, 7:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

The Orphanage

Directed by: J.A. Bayona

From ghost stories around the campfire to classics of literature, from urban myths to legends of cinema – the haunted house and its various threatening extensions are a classic horror trope… Read More

• Saturday, 22 April, 7:30 PM, Museum of Islamic Art Auditorium

Vampyr

Directe