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Doha, Qatar; February 14, 2018: The Doha Film Institute has partnered with GOBELINS, l’école de l’imagein Paris, a leading animation school, to offer comprehensive animation workshops to Qatar-based talents.

A global reference in the fields of digital communication, interactive design and entertainment for over 50 years, Gobelins – one of the schools of the Paris Ile-de-France Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry – is renowned for its exceptional depth of training in Photography, Animated Filmmaking, 3D Animation, Motion Design and Video Gaming.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Doha Film Institute, Gobelins will lead four workshops of two weeks in length, from April 2018 to April 2019, offering participants in Qatar invaluable hands-on training through the full production cycle of short animation resulting in the delivery of a short-animated project at the conclusion of the workshops. Gobelins will also conduct an annual one-week youth animation workshop in Doha that will include placement for one Qatari student at its summer school in Paris.

“Cultural shifts among the region’s young people have spawned a tremendous creative energy that is fuelling demand for local content. Central to our organisational vision to nurture the next generation of film talents here in Qatar is providing the best in knowledge and resources to the community,” said Fatma Al Remaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute. “Through partnerships with the best institutions in the world such as Gobelins, we are offering our young talents the best opportunities for skills and career development in an industry that is undergoing a fascinating transformation. By creating these opportunities for the Qatari animation industry in its formative stages, we empower local filmmakers and creators to establish a major presence in the global market

“Our guiding principle is to ensure that students, apprentices, and trainees at Gobelins receive the training needed to acquire the highest technical, creative and professional skills,” said Cécile Blondel, Head of International Relations “Our partnership with the Doha Film Institute is a new and exciting way for us to share our knowledge base in short film animation creation with young talents in Qatar. We look forward to opening doors to inspired creative work that encourages them to move beyond their boundaries and make their own unique mark in the industry.”

The Cinéma Department of Animation at Gobelins was founded in 1975 by Pierre Ayma. Alumni have moved on to contribute to the world’s leading animation studios, including Disney, Universal, Hanna Barbera, Pixar, DreamWorks and Warner Bros. Gobelins was ranked number 1 in the list of the Top 100 International Animation Schools by www.animationcareerreview.com for the past two consecutive years based on the overall quality of programme including technology and facilities provided, reputation within the industry and the quality of student and graduate animation works.

The first Gobelins Animation Workshop at the Doha Film Institute held in Partnership with the French Embassy in Qatar, will be led by Aïda del Solar, pedagogical coordinator and titular teacher at the Animation Department at Gobelins, and programmer of Opening Shorts at Annecy International Animation Festival. She has a Masters Degree in Filmmaking and Animation in ENSad and Scriptwriting at La Femis schools.

Providing animation for narrative, documentary and interactive projects, key projects included developing an interactive gaming path for a museum of the famous cheese The Laughing Cow for Bel, video games for Sony, Philips and an animated TV series for Xilam Studios, Stupid Invaders.

Additional details of the workshops will be announced as they are confirmed.