The inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) announced Tuesday that it will open with a special screening of director Mira Nair’s “Amelia, a thrilling account of legendary aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, starring two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank and Golden Globe winner Richard Gere.
The DTFF will run from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 in Doha, Qatar.
“I am honored to present ‘Amelia’ at the opening night of the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival, said Mira Nair. “Amelia was truly modern, a visionary, and my film explores her quest for balance between the ecstasy of the sky and the responsibility of the earth. It is, in a sense, an action adventure, with Hilary Swank as the true embodiment of the spiritual power of Amelia Earhart.
Organizers also revealed the 32 films that will comprise the rest of the festival’s film slate. Twelve of the films have roots in the Middle East and the balance is a diverse selection of acclaimed titles from the international festival circuit, from both emerging and established directors.
Festival activities will be centered at the internationally-acclaimed, I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art, an architectural homage to modernity and history that underscores the unique character of Doha.
In addition, open-air screenings around the city will include a showing of the 1969 Egyptian classic, “Al-Mummia (The Night of the Counting Years). This classic, a restored print presented by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation, will be shown outdoors at the Souq Waqif, a traditional Middle Eastern bazaar in the heart of Doha.
The film program is highlighted by such titles as Ruba Nadda’s “Cairo Time, starring Patricia Clarkson, “A Serious Man, the critically hailed new film from Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen, and “The Informant! from director Steven Soderbergh, a Warner Bros. release starring Matt Damon.
Other highlights include Asghar Farhadi’s 2009 Silver Bear Winner “About Elly, Jane Campion’s highly acclaimed John Keats biopic “Bright Star and Michael Moore’s new documentary “Capitalism: A Love Story.
“We’ve programmed this slate with the local audience at the forefront of our minds. We are creating an exciting and varied film festival experience by bringing some of the best Arab and international films to Doha, said Amanda Palmer, executive director of DTFF.
Anne Fontaine’s “Coco Before Chanel , starring Audrey Tautou, will be shown along with Lone Scherfig’s Sundance hit “An Education, Gary Young’s vengeance thriller “Harry Brown starring Michael Caine and Spike Lee’s latest documentary “Kobe Doin’ Work.
Audiences will also get to see Rachid Bouchareb’s “London River, Bahman Ghobadi’s Cannes’ Un Certain Regard winner “No One Knows About Persian Cats, John Woo’s epic blockbuster “Red Cliff starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Warwick Thornton’s Cannes’ Golden Camera winner “Samson and Delilah, Cary Jôji Fukunaga’s immigrant indie “Sin Nombre and Elia Suleiman’s autobiography “The Time That Remains.
Egyptian cinema is represented with two more films: Kamla Abu Zekry’s “One-Zero, starring Ilham Shaheen and Khaled Abol Naga; and Yousry Nasrallah’s “Ehky ya Scheherazade starring Mona Zaki.
“We are proud of the commitment of our attending filmmakers, who will help us take cinema appreciation to a new level here, said Palmer, “These filmmakers will share their storytelling by not only showing their films, but by also engaging in other film-related activities, such as workshops and classes, throughout the festival.
“The film program was curated through a true collaboration between our programming team in Doha and New York, said Geoff Gilmore, chief creative officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “We believe the line-up for our first festival reflects the genuineness of that cultural partnership and is embodied in the remarkable diversity and aesthetic range of the work.
DTFF was founded through a partnership between the Qatar Museums Authority and Tribeca Enterprises. Uniquely Qatari in its identity, the festival is modeled on the success of Tribeca Film Festival’s dedication to engage the local community and promote filmmaking talent.
Its ongoing aim is to inspire, engage and educate a new generation of cinema appreciation locally; discover, mentor and fund regional filmmaking talent; foster a community through art and entertainment; and encourage open discussion and debate.
Festival organizers also announced that in its first year, 31 of the 33 films in the line-up will be eligible for two audience-based awards each carrying unrestricted cash prizes amounting to $50,000.
Audience award winners will be announced at DTFF’s closing night ceremony on Nov. 1. During the ceremony, the festival will also announce a screenplay development and filmmaker grant program, illustrating its commitment to develop and support filmmakers year-round in the region. -Daily News Egypt
