DFI’s Qumra 2024 welcomes film auteurs, global industry experts

The 10th edition of Qumra kicked off Friday, bringing together film auteurs and international industry experts for exclusive mentorship sessions, workshops, and screenings of impactful films, aimed at nurturing emerging voices in cinema.
Welcoming more than 200 industry experts and the talents associated with over 40 Qumra projects, Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said: “Qumra is an extension of the Institute’s commitment to support promising filmmakers to overcome the various challenges of telling authentic stories. While we celebrate the progress that we have made in nurturing new voices in cinema, we are also confronted with the genocide in Gaza and the ongoing attempts to silence the voices crying out against it.
“This cultural genocide is a profound reminder of our responsibility as a global community to ensure that all voices are heard, and all lives are treated with dignity and respect.”
She added: “While the situation continues to worsen in Palestine and countries throughout the region including Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan and Syria, providing a platform to acknowledge the courage and resilience of those fighting against oppression becomes even more important.
“DFI has always been and will remain dedicated to realising important stories and amplifying unheard voices that connect us in our shared humanity. We are proud to be on the journey with these bold and evocative projects that will impact our societies for years to come.”
Addressing the delegates, DFI’s artistic advisor Elia Suleiman said: “Qumra offers the opportunity to ask what must be done to take responsibility, and a moral and ethical position on what films enable us to discuss about genocides, massacres and horrible violence around the world.
On the opening day, Qumra Master Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Knives Out, Hereditary) presented her Master Class taking the audience through her cinematic vision and creative journey. She joins acclaimed eminent filmmakers Leos Carax (Bad Blood, The Lovers on the Bridge, Holy Motors, Annette); Claire Denis (Trouble Every Day, Stars at Noon, Both Sides of the Blade); Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter, Seven Veils); Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, Brothers) and renowned sound editor and sound designer Martín Hernández (Birdman, The Revenant) as the Qumra Masters this year.
As part of its mission to accelerate the success of filmmakers from the region and beyond, Qumra 2024 will offer networking and development opportunities for more than 40 projects from emerging filmmakers from over 20 countries.
The Qumra projects this year include 13 feature narratives, 11 documentaries, 11 shorts and 7 web/TV series in various stages of production. Among the projects, 11 are helmed by Qatari or Qatar-based directors, including seven by nationals.
The talents associated with the projects will participate in intensive mentoring sessions until March 6 in Doha and then take part in online sessions from March 9 to 11, providing them with an extended period of training and networking opportunities.