The 81st Venice Film Festival is shining a spotlight on filmmakers from the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, featuring films supported by the Doha Film Institute (DFI).
This year’s festival, running until September 7, showcases the work of regional filmmakers, many of whom have received backing from the DFI’s Grants Programme.
A record number of DFI-supported films are being screened across various festival departments, including the prestigious Orrizonti and Orrizonti Shorts sections, as well as sidebar events like Critics Week and Giornate degli Autori.
This year, the DFI has curated a special exhibition, “Your Ghosts Are Mine: Expanded Cinemas, Amplified Voices”, which explores themes of memory and identity through 40 films and installations by creatives from the region.
The exhibition has been a highlight of the festival, drawing attention from international film industry professionals and notable figures like Academy Award-winning actress, filmmaker, and rights activist Angelina Jolie, who was joined by DFI chief executive Fatma Hassan Alremaihi.
The festival has seen a diverse selection of DFI-supported films from countries including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, and Yemen.
The selection highlighted the DFI’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive film landscape, promoting new voices, and bringing unique stories to the global stage.
The DFI’s presence extends to the Venice Production Bridge, where a special screening of award-winning short films by Qatar-based filmmakers was took place yesterday.
This showcases the burgeoning talent within Qatar’s film industry and further underlines the DFI’s commitment to supporting local filmmakers.
The “Your Ghosts Are Mine” exhibition, co-organised by the DFI, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the future Art Mill Museum and supported by Media City Qatar in Venice, offers a powerful platform for dialogue about the complex realities of the region and the diverse narratives it holds.
