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• Partners of the fifth edition of Qumra span both the government and private sectors in Qatar and abroad

Doha, Qatar: 18 March 2019: The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has confirmed its partners for the fifth edition of Qumra, a leading industry initiative that seeks to provide mentorship, nurturing, and hands-on development for the next generation of filmmakers from Qatar and around the world, taking place in Doha from 15 to 20 March.

Organised with the goal of nurturing emerging talents, with a focus on first- and second-time filmmakers, the 2019 edition of Qumra has received remarkable support, yet again, from leading Qatar based and international entities including global cultural and film organizations.

To be held at Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art, Qumra 2019 will host over 150 international delegates including film producers, distributors, festival directors, funding agencies, sales & marketing professionals, VoD experts and more, as well as the talents associated with 36 Qumra projects.

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “The strong support that Qumra receives every year is a testament to the commitment and appreciation of the government and private sector in Qatar to promote our nation as a destination that supports the development of the global creative industries and emerging talents. The success of Qumra is made possible by the unwavering support of our Partners who enable us to host a one-of-a-kind event that brings global experts to Doha to nurture the next generation of Arab and international filmmaking talents. Together, we can support the development of the country’s film and creative industries and add to the pride of our nation.”

Continuing their support to Qumra as Cultural Partners for 2019 are Qatar Museums, the Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif, while the event is supported by FNAC; SONY, represented in Qatar by Fifty One East, is the Official Electronics Partner; Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels is the Official Hotel Partner and ViRTUOCITY – the Middle East’s biggest Gaming Hub – will facilitate Qumra’s VR exhibition.

Extending support as ‘Friends of Qumra’ are: Sarajevo Film Festival, the French Embassy in Qatar, L’Institut Francais du Qatar and Northwestern University in Qatar. Screen International once again comes on board as the Media Partner along with 106.3 FM Radio Olive & 91.7 FM Radio Suno.

This year’s Qumra Masters are: Academy Award® winning Mexican Production Designer Eugenio Caballero, celebrated for his work on diverse projects including Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth for which he earned an Academy Award; winner of the Grand Jury prize at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, Italian writer and director Alice Rohrwacher; French New Wave cinema legend Agnès Varda, prolific Japanese director and writer Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Polish auteur Pawel Pawlikowski. They will share their insights with film talents attached to the 36 projects, provide invaluable feedback on projects in consultation sessions, and unpack their own inspiring journeys through the cinematic world in Masterclasses.

The Qumra 2019 industry events include workshops and meetings for first- and second-time filmmakers with international film industry experts in bespoke mentorship labs; the Qumra Master Classes, led by acclaimed filmmakers; Qumra Screenings of feature films presented by the Qumra Masters and recipients of funding from the Institute, followed by question-and-answer sessions; and the Qumra Talks, which are panel-style discussions that cover a broad range of topics.

To find out more about the Qumra 2019 programme visit: www.dohafilminstitute.com/qumra.