Doha, March 05 (QNA) - The 11th edition of Qumra, Doha Film Institute's (DFI) annual talent incubator for Arab and international cinema, is set to provide 49 exceptional projects by emerging filmmakers from over 20 countries with invaluable support and guidance.

This year's diverse selection includes 16 projects by Qatari and Qatar-based filmmakers, highlighting the growing strength of the nation’s creative industry.

Participants will engage in in-depth activities with Qumra Masters and leading industry experts, with in-person sessions taking place in Doha during the period of April 4-9, followed by online sessions during the period of April 12-14.

In this context, Chief Executive Officer of DFI, Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, said, "for more than a decade, Qumra has served as a career-changing destination for emerging filmmakers to hone their skills and advance their projects under the guidance of accomplished filmmakers and industry experts.

As a one-of-its-kind talent incubator, we continue to build on our legacy of supporting some of the world's most exciting storytellers throughout their film journey.

At a time when filmmakers need support the most - not just financial but also creative and technical, Qumra demonstrates the role we can play collectively to shape the next generation of creative masters.

"The diversity of this year's subjects and cinematic approach of the young filmmakers reflects the growing strength of independent cinema.

These bold new voices bring to the world stories that matter, promoting a stronger understanding of humanity and our shared values.

We are honored to support several projects from Qatar that proudly demonstrate the impact of our commitment to shaping a vibrant homegrown film industry," she added.

The list of films participating in Qumra 2025 in the (Development - Feature Narrative) are "The Good Spirit" (Palestine, UK, Qatar) by Razan Madhoon, "The Joyful 1926" (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Damien Ounouri and Adila Bendimerad, "The Pearl" (Working Title) (Qatar) by Noor Al Nasr, and "Quarter to Thursday" (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Sofia Djama.

In the (Development - Feature Documentary or Essay), the projects included are "In the Name of Safia" (Algeria, Belgium, France, Qatar) by Safia Kessas, "Just Like a Dream" (Lebanon, Qatar) by Corine Shawi, and "The Sixth Story" (Iraq, UK, Qatar) by Ahmed Abd, and "Speak Image, Speak" (Palestine, Germany, Qatar) by Pary El-Qalqili.

In (Production - Feature Narrative), the projects included are "In Memory of Times to Come" (Palestine, Denmark, Malta, UK, Belgium, Qatar) by Larissa Sansour, "Love 45" (Syria, France, Switzerland, Qatar) by Anas Khalaf, and "Sari & Amira" (Qatar) by A.J. Al-Thani.

As for the (Production - Feature Documentary or Essay), projects included are "Climbing the Mountains" (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Sabrina Chebbi, and "Flower of the Sand" (Morocco, Qatar) by Jaouad Babili.

(Post-Production - Feature Narrative - Picture Lock), included "Cotton Queen" (Sudan, Germany, France, Palestine, Egypt, Qatar) by Suzannah Mirghani, "The Fin" (South Korea, Germany, Qatar) by Syeyoung Park, "Marie & Jolie" (Tunisia, France, Qatar) by Erige Sehiri, "The President's Cake" (Iraq, Qatar) by Hasan Hadi, "The Reserve" (Mexico, Qatar) by Pablo Perez Lombardini, "Roqia" (Algeria, France, Qatar, KSA) by Yanis Koussim, and "Sleepless City" (Spain, France, Qatar) by Guillermo Garcia Lopez. 

In the (Post-Production - Feature Documentary or Essay - Picture Lock), "Fatna, a Woman Named Rachid" (France, Morocco, Belgium, Qatar) by Helene Harder, "Mother of Silence" (Iraq, France, Qatar) by Zahraa Ghandour, "Once Upon a Time in Shiraz" (Iran, France, Norway, South Korea, Qatar) by Hamed Zolfaghari, and "Souraya Mon Amour" (Lebanon, Qatar) by Nicolas Khoury.

(Post-Production - Feature Documentary or Essay - Work-in-progress), the projects included are "The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripoli" (Lebanon, KSA, Qatar) by Rania Rafei and "Jodari Meno" (Qatar) by Dr. Jamal Rashid Al Khanji.

In the (Development - TV or Web Series), projects included were "Al-Michelin" (Jordan, USA, UAE) by Abdul-Rahman Sakr, "(Dis)Closed" (Palestine) by Aida Kaadan, "Dirty Hands" (Lebanon) by Georges Hazim and Maya Dagher, "Last Words" (Lebanon, Qatar) by Antoine Waked, "The Lost City" (South Africa) by Chantel Clark, "Nadine" (Egypt, France, Qatar) by Amina Abdelwahab and Claire Saint-Pierre, "Palmyra" (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Carol Mezher and Gabriela Flores, "Rent-a-Mama" (Lebanon, Canada, Qatar) by Dania Bdeir, and "Task Force: Apocalypse!" (Palestine, Qatar) by Dana J. Atrach and Anne Sobel.

As for the (Showcase - TV or Web Series), the project included is "El Sardines" (Algeria, France, KSA, Qatar) by Zoulikha Tahar.

(Development - Short Narratives), projects included are "Ghafla" (Lebanon, Qatar) by Tony El Ghazal, "Gharbalah" (Yemen, Qatar) by Afnan Tag, "Inside the White Canvas" (Qatar) by Amna Al Binali, "Rumor Has It" (Qatar) by Mohammed D. Fakhro, and "Sad Boy: The Movie" (Qatar) by N&LS.

The (Development - Short Documentary or Essay), "Me Are You" (Lebanon, Qatar) by Myriam Salloum.

The (Post-Production - Work-in-progress - Short Narratives), projects included "Abu Fanoos" (Qatar, Morocco) by Amira Abujbara and Horia El Hadad, "Light to Ashes" (Qatar) by Nadia Al Khater, and "Qadha’ w Qadar" (Qatar) by Maryam Al Mohammed.

(Post-Production - Work-in-progress - Short Documentary or Essay), projects included "Bel Falastini" (Jordan, Qatar) by Obada Jarbi and "The Sounds of Silence" (Colombia, USA, Qatar) by Sebastian Delascasas.

While in the (Post-Production - Picture Lock - Short Documentary or Essay), the project included is "Villa 187" (Sudan, Qatar) by Eiman Mirghani.

Of the 49 selected projects, 37 are recipients of DFI's Grants Programme, while 21 projects are graduates of DFI's year-round training initiatives, including the Feature Script Lab, Filmmaking Lab with Rithy Panh, Producers Lab, and Series Lab, showcasing the Institute’s holistic approach to filmmaker development and nurturing creative talent.

The public is invited to experience Qumra firsthand through Qumra Master Classes, accessible with the Qumra Pass, and by attending Qumra Screenings.

Audiences can enjoy a remarkable selection of feature-length films from the region and around the world, all supported by Doha Film Institute.

These engaging programs reinforce DFI's commitment to amplifying diverse voices and promoting meaningful cultural dialogue. (QNA)