Gulf Times

European Drive-In Film Festival opens

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HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali opened the European Drive-In Film Festival yesterday evening, along with a number of European ambassador­s.

The three-day film festival, which ends tomorrow, is taking place at Doha Festival City (DHFC)’s new VIP parking area.

Sweden’s ambassador to Qatar Anders Bengtcén welcomed the guests, saying: “Culture plays a fundamenta­l role in the relations between people and countries, bridging communicat­ion and building integrated communitie­s to support openness and mutual understand­ing.”

Citizens and residents of Qatar can enjoy foreign-language films with English subtitles from nine European countries: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Italy, the Netherland­s, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerlan­d.

It is an initiative where “guests can share a safe yet exciting cinematic experience and sense cultural togetherne­ss”, according to a press statement by the organisers.

The categories of the movies range from family to drama and comedy.

The festival has opened with the premiere screening of a Swedish film, The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeare­d, a drama comedy about a man who has had a very rich life and who did not want to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Tickets for screenings have been offered free of charge to the general public.

All tickets have been booked, “which is a testament to the cultural interest among Qatar’s citizens and residents alike, and a great showcase of community spirit”, the statement adds.

Besides HE the Minister of Culture al-Ali and ambassador Bengtcén, the opening ceremony was attended by Austria’s ambassador to Qatar Karin Fichtinger-Grohe, Céline Ganseman (deputy head of mission at the embassy of Belgium), Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas, German ambassador Dr Claudius Fischbach, Ilyaas Sherally (the second secretary at the embassy of the Netherland­s), Portuguese ambassador António Alves de Carvalho, Swiss ambassador Edgar Dörig, Jihad Zarkout (assistant general manager of Bawabat Al-Shamal Real Estate Company [DHFC]), and Zaher Abou Khamis, general business manager of Nestlé Qatar.

A press conference was also held yesterday to mark the occasion.

 ?? PICTURE: ?? HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali at the inaugurati­on of the European Drive-In Film Festival, along with a number of diplomats and other officials. Kayamkulam
PICTURE: HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali at the inaugurati­on of the European Drive-In Film Festival, along with a number of diplomats and other officials. Kayamkulam

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