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Official Statement on Qumra Doha Film Festival – January 2014

Jan 11, 2014

Following the success of the inaugural Ajyal Youth Film Festival by the Doha Film Institute, which marked by an unprecedented community involvement in film appreciation and education, the Institute is realigning its objectives for 2014.

As part of this new approach, we are focusing on our recently launched initiatives that are aimed at nurturing the culture of cinema at the grassroots level in Qatar and the region . We will also expand the remit of our various platforms and programmes to further foster film education, financing and appreciation, especially among talented young filmmakers.

Our expanded film grants programme, educational initiatives and the Ajyal Youth Film Festival are fully aligned with our primary mandate of supporting global story-telling, nurturing upcoming talent and enhancing public appreciation of cinema.

To focus on our primary mandate, we have decided to reschedule the Qumra Doha Film Festival, our earlier announced second film festival initiative, to 2015. This will enable us to channel our resources to deliver on our primary objectives, create more platforms for Qatari and regional talent to sharpen their skills, and provide increased educational and financing opportunities. These, in turn, will contribute to added value for our film festival initiatives, and put the global spotlight on our talent.

We remain committed to our mission to serve as the definitive platform in this region to create a dynamic local film industry.