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Doha, Qatar; March 2, 2017: The third edition of Qumra, the industry initiative by the Doha Film Institute that aims to mentor and nurture next generation filmmakers, has received tremendous support from Qatar’s government entities, industry leaders, educational & cultural organisations and a wide spectrum of global film bodies.

To be held from March 3 to 8 at Souq Al Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art, Qumra 2017 brings together over 100 industry delegates from across the world including leading film producers, distributors, film festival organisers, financing agencies, marketing experts and more.

Fatma Al Remaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “We are thankful to all our partners for their unwavering support to Qumra 2017. Their continued support plays an integral role in hosting this inspiring event and helping establish Qumra as a platform for discovering new voices and compelling stories. This show of solidarity by local and international entities highlights the tremendous value that Qumra offers in strengthening Qatar’s reputation as a creative hub, and contributes to the development of a strong culture of filmmaking in Qatar and the region.

Underlining their commitment to promoting the unique industry-focused event, Qatar Museums, Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif return as Cultural Partners of Qumra 2017.

Qumra 2017 is supported by prominent educational entities Northwestern University in Qatar and the Translation & Interpreting Institute at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Culture Pass and FNAC. SONY is the Official Electronics Partners and Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels are the Official Hotel Partner.

This year, Qumra 2017 introduces Qumra Talks in Partnership with Northwestern University in Qatar, which features a series of panel-style talks that highlight the digital transformation of film industry and media.

Extending support as ‘Friends of Qumra’ are: Sarajevo Film Festival, the French Embassy in Qatar, L’Institut Français du Qatar, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany – Doha and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region. Screen International is back on board as the Media Partner.

The Qumra Masters this year are contemporary Iranian master Asghar Farhadi; French auteur Bruno Dumont; Cambodian creative documentarian, Argentina’s eminent filmmaker Rithy Panh Lucrecia Martel and internationally acclaimed producer Paulo Branco.

New to Qumra this year is the Accredited Delegates Programme, developed for professionals from diverse backgrounds which will allow 100 local and regional delegates to access more opportunities and be a part of the platform for discovery, networking, and inspiration. Members of the local and regional film and creative industries, the educational community and the general public can now apply to be an Accredited Delegate, that is aimed at advancing knowledge about, and promoting discussion around media and filmmaking.

Qumra 2017 programming will continue to include industry meetings designed to assist in propelling selected projects to the next stages of development, through master classes, work-in-progress screenings, bespoke matchmaking sessions and tailored workshops with industry experts. This creative exchange will take place alongside a programme of public screenings of a highly engaging selection of movies by the Qumra Masters and New Voices in Cinema strand, that includes compelling works by emerging Qatari and international talents.