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• Two leading film entities to promote youth talent development and cultural exchange
• Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) to nominate Indian jurors to 2019 Ajyal Film Festival and help curate Indian films to DFI’s year-round screening initiatives amongst others
• Special Made in Qatar film showcase to screen at 2019 Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star and a Focus on Indian shorts to be presented at 2019 Ajyal Film Festival

Doha, Qatar; February 4, 2019: The Doha Film Institute announced their cultural partnership with the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), India’s leading platform for cinematic disruption and discovery, to celebrate Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture.

A Qatar Museums initiative, the Year of Culture is a year-long programme developed to deepen understanding between nations through mutual exchanges of arts, culture, heritage and sport.

“The cultural and business connection between Qatar and India are historic,” said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute. “The Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture recognises the contribution of the Indian community to Qatar and reinforces the deep cultural relationship between our nations.”

“As a cinematic powerhouse, India has always been a dominant influence – in Qatar, where Indian films have not only entertained us but also helped us celebrate and explore common values between each of our cultures, breaking down barriers and opening minds. We look forward to an exciting year of activities with our partners at MAMI, focused on strengthening the bond between Qatari and Indian film creatives through appreciation, education and collaboration.”

Smriti Kiran, Creative Director, Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) said, ‘I want to thank Fatma and the Doha Film Institute for taking the initiative and presenting us with such an incredible opportunity. Just like DFI, MAMI also believes in a single world connected by stories and empathy. A culture year that focuses on India, bringing two cultures, two countries together by film is the first big step in the long relationship we hope to forge with DFI to discover new talent in each other’s countries and present them to the world.”

As part of the exchange, a special Made in Qatar film showcase will screen at 2019 Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star and a Made in India, a selection of short films, will be reciprocally screened at the 7th Ajyal Film Festival 2019 in Doha. MAMI will also nominate two Indian jurors to participate in the annual event that brings people of all generations together to celebrate the magic of cinema.

Additionally, Qatari talents will have the opportunity to interact with Indian talents at the next MAMI to showcase their creativity and present stories from Qatar, while Indian films will be invited to DFI Cinema’s year-round screening programmes in Doha. More details on the partnership will be announced throughout the year.

Founded in 1997 by film industry advocates and led by the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee, MAMI is a change agent emboldening theatre, audiences and industry in India to embrace the undiscovered gems of cinema. MAMI celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2018 and has recently appointed leading actor Deepika Padukone as its new Chairperson.

Doha Film Institute is an independent, not-for-profit cultural organisation, that supports the growth of the local film community through cultivating film appreciation, enhancing industry knowledge and contributing to the development of sustainable creative industries in Qatar.

Qatar India 2019 Year of Culture, organized by Qatar Museums, sponsored by Qatar Airways The official Airline, was planned in collaboration with leading institutions in Qatar and India, including the Embassy of Qatar in New Delhi, the Embassy of India in Doha, Qatar’s Ministry of Culture and Sport, Qatar foundation, The National Tourism Council, Doha film institute and many more.

For more details, log on to: www.dohafilminstitute.com and www.mumbaifilmfestival.com