Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and New York's Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) are to launch a new international film festival, Tribeca Film Festival Doha.

The first festival will take place November 10 - 14, 2009 and be presented at Doha's Museum of Islamic Art and in cinemas across Doha.

The announcement was made at a special ceremony at the Museum, attended by: Tribeca Film Festival co-founders, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff; her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of the Qatar Museums Authority Board of Trustees; and Abdullah Al Najjar, Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Museums Authority.

Festival profile

Tribeca Film Festival Doha will be modeled on the annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Like the New York event, it will welcome the community, diverse audiences and the global filmmaking industry.

TFF co-founder Jane Rosenthal underlined the common goals of the two festivals: 'Qatar's transformational vision for the 21st century with its emphasis on culture and education is uniquely consistent with the goals and aspirations of the Tribeca Film Festival,' said Rosenthal.

Tribeca Film Festival Doha will feature new work from established filmmakers, alongside film debuts from newly discovered directing talents. The program will include approximately 40 films, as well as special events.

Cultural goals

H.E. Sheikha Mayassa highlighted the broader cultural goals of the festival:

'I invite film enthusiasts from every country to share their passion for this art by visiting the Tribeca Film Festival Doha. In today's increasingly globalized world, creative initiatives like this Festival can play a truly inspirational role by bringing cultures closer together,' Her Excellency said.

Her view was echoed by TFF co-founder Robert De Niro:

'We hope that film will not only be used as a form of entertainment at Tribeca Film Festival Doha but play a role in bridging cultures closer together. By learning each other's stories, we can see how much we share in common as well as explore and better understand our differences,' said De Niro.

Industry importance

While TFF co-founder Craig Hatkoff pointed to the growing importance of the Middle East as an industry:

'In addition to the positive cultural implications, this initiative underscores the enormous potential of the entertainment market in the Middle East and the strategic importance of the region to the future of the film industry,' said Hatkoff.

Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in response to the events of September 11. The festival's initial purpose was to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.

QMA is dedicated to developing the cultural resources of Qatar as a platform for international dialogue and understanding.

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