Doha Film Festival (DFF) has selected 15 films for its International Feature Competition, including four Palestinian films.
The selection includes the world premiere of Rabab Khamis’s Sama, a documentary following a 10-year old girl who collects plastic and cardboard to sell as fuel to help her family.
Scroll down for the full list of films
Further titles from Palestine include Hosam Abu Dan’s Thirteen In Gaza, a drama about a father and teenage daughter navigating everyday life in a Gaza refugee camp. It debuted as a Centrepiece title at Toronto last month, where it won the NETPAC award for best film from the Asia-Pacific region
Also from Palestine are Muayad Alayan’s Venice Spotlight title Conversation With The Sea; and Mohanad Yaqubi’s Revolutionaries Never Die, about the late Lebanese filmmaker Jocelyne Saab.
Festival opening film The Station by Yemeni-UK filmmaker Sara Ishaq is in the competition section; alongside FIlipiñana, Rafael Manuel’s Film4-backed Manila country club drama which won a Special Jury Award at Sundance.
Further titles include Alexander Murphy’s Irish documentary Tin Castle about a family living in a rundown trailer in an Irish field, which debuted in Cannes Critics’ Week this year.
11 of the titles were supported by the Doha Film Institute’s Grants programme; with seven of the 15 films directed by women.
The films will compete for $185,000 in prizes, awarded by a five-strong jury of industry professionals and including the $75,000 best narrative award.
“This year’s features competition reflects great ambition,” said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Doha Film Institute CEO and DFF director. “The 15 films from across the world are united by the courage, imagination and urgency of their filmmakers. Each has travelled a remarkable journey, and it is deeply meaningful that Doha is a part of that journey, ensuring that these powerful works are seen, shared and remembered.”
DFF partners include Katara, Media City Qatar Film Committee and Visit Qatar.
The festival will run from November 19-27 in its second edition.
Doha Film Festival International Feature Competition
Thirteen In Gaza (Pal-Qat) dir. Hosam Abu Dan
Sama (Pal-Fr-Qat) dir. Rabab Khamis*
Conversation With The Sea (Pal-Neth-Saudi-Qat) dir. Muayad Alayan
Revolutionaries Never Die (Pal-Bel-Qat) dir. Mohanad Yaqubi
Concrete Land (Jor-Pal) dirl Asmahan Bkerat
Bardi (Mor-Fr-US-Qat) dir. Tala Hadid
The Station (Yem-Jor-Fr-Ger-Neth-Nor-Qat) dir. Sara Ishaq
House Of The Wind (Cam-Fr-Bel-Ben-Saudi-Qat) dir. Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu
My Semba (Ang-Qat) dir. Hugo Salvaterra
9 Temples To Heaven (Thai-Sing-Fr-Nor-China-HK-Indonesia-Qat) dir. Sompot Chidgasornpongse
A Girl Unknown (China-Fr) dir. Zou Jing
Filipiñana (Sing-UK-Phil-Fr-Neth-Qat) dir. Rafael Manuel
The Meltdown (Chile-US-Sp-Mex) dir. Manuela Martelli
The Illusion Of An Everlasting Summer (US-Arg) dir. Alessandra Sanguinetti
Tin Castle (Ire-Fr) dir. Alexander Murphy
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