News DeskDoha, Qatar – The Ajyal Film Festival 2024, presented by the Doha Film Institute (DFI), will run from November 16 to 23, celebrating the theme ‘Moments that Matter’. This theme pays tribute to the profound impact of diverse cinema in enhancing interconnections, inspiring understanding, fostering unity, and empowering individuals.
Ajyal 2024 will feature 66 thought-provoking films from 42 countries, presenting stories of resilience, hope, and community empowerment. Events will be held across key locations including Katara, Sikkat Wadi Msheireb, Lusail, and VOX Cinemas Doha Festival City. The festival will also include interactive discussions, inclusive screenings, film exhibitions, and Qatar’s largest pop-culture event – Geekend.
Ajyal 2024 will open with the inspiring documentary “Sudan, Remember Us” (Tunisia, France, Qatar), directed by Hind Meddeb. The film, supported by DFI, highlights youth activism through cultural advocacy, poetry, and unity.
Special programmes such as Voices from Palestine and the Intaj: From Ground Zero Experience will highlight the challenges faced by people in the region and amplify the creative voices of Palestinians.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and CEO of DFI, emphasized the festival’s role in promoting human understanding and compassion: “Art is a form of defiance, and the 2024 edition of Ajyal reminds us that it cannot be silenced. Through films that inspire conversations and reinforce our shared humanity, Ajyal’s Moments That Matter is a reminder of the values we need to cultivate.”
Programme Highlights:
Special Screenings:
Meeting with Pol Pot by Rithy Pans
Exclusive premiere of an episode from The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition Season 2
Open-air cinema at Doha
Special showcase on short films from Morocco
Special screening of Flow by Gints Zilbalodis for young guests from Palestine
Special Guests:
Saleh Bakri, Hiam Abbas, Khaled El Nabwy, Esra Bilgic, Mohamed Bakri, Cyril Guei, Chatri Sityodtong, Rithy Panh, Meryam Joobeur, Anees, Mustafa the Poet, Misan Harriman, and more.
Made in Qatar:
Includes 5 films by Qatari and Qatar-based filmmakers.
Introduces Made in Qatar Shabab for emerging talents.
Inclusive Screenings:
Adapted screenings for people with hearing, visual, or speech comprehension challenges in collaboration with TII of HBKU.
Special screenings for children with autism and different abilities.
Voices from Palestine:
Features include Undr by Kamal Aljafari and Janin Jenin by Mohamed Bakri.
From Ground Zero: 22 short films by filmmakers from Gaza.
Intaj: From Ground Zero Experience:
Offers perspectives on life in Gaza through 22 short films.
Open Air Screenings:
Cinema Under the Stars at Museum of Islamic Art Park.
Cinema by the Sea at Westbay Beach.
Qatar-Morocco Year of Culture:
Made in Morocco programme with six short films.
Geekend:
From November 20 to 23, celebrating gaming, comics, and animation.
Partners:
Cultural Partner: Katara; Principal Partner: Media City Qatar, Visit Qatar; Signature Partner: Elan, Katara Hospitality; Official Hotel Partner: Fairmont Hotel, Raffles Hotel; Qatar Museums, Year of Culture, Msheireb Properties; Contributing Partner: Vox Cinemas; Friends of the Festival: Aldo Coppola, Giffoni, Raw’a, TII, Westbay Beach; Social Media Partner: Qommunication; Media Partner: I Love Qatar and Qatar TV.
Ajyal 2024 reaffirms the role of cinema in fostering understanding and empathy, creating moments that matter for audiences long after the festival ends.
