10 DFI-supported films selected to Cannes Festival
Five films will screen in Un Certain Regard — four are part of the Directors’ Fortnight and one is part of the ACID section; an additional three films chosen for Cannes’ Cinéfondation Atelier
THE Doha Film Institute (DFI) has set another milestone with an impressive slate of 10 films supported by the region’s leading film organisation selected to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2022.
The institute continues to uphold its proud legacy of supporting compelling films from across the globe that make headlines in the international film festival circuit this year too with one of the largest representations at Cannes 2022 to be held from May 1 to 2 .
Of the films selected, five will screen in the Un Certain Regard, while four are part of the Directors’ Fortnight and one film will screen in the ACID section.
In addition, three films by Qatar-based and regional talent, promoted by the DFI, have also been selected for Cannes’ Cin fondation Atelier.
DFI Chief Executive Officer Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said, “For the past several years, films supported by the institute have made headlines at Cannes Film Festival, underpinning the quality of the projects we nurture. This year, with an impressive selection of films, including by first-time directors, we are further contributing to global cinema through captivating films that have universal resonance.
“Our mission is to celebrate independent voices in cinema and the proud selection to Cannes, regarded as the epitome of great filmmaking, is a testament to our commitment to supporting important voices in films.”
Among the films screening in Un Certain Regard are: All The People I’ll Never Be (France, Germany, Belgium, South Korea, Romania, Qatar) by Davy Chou, Plan 5 ( apan, France, Philippines, Qatar) by Hayakawa Chie, Domingo and the Mist (Costa Rica, Qatar) by Ariel Escalante Me a, a project nurtured at Qumra, the annual talent incubator event by the Doha Film Institute, Mediterranean Fever (Palestine, France, Germany, Cyprus, Qatar) by Maha Haj, also a Qumra nurtured project, and Harka (Egypt, France, Tunisia, Belgium, Germany, uxembourg, Qatar) by otfy Nathan.
The films to be screened in the Directors’ Fortnight (Quinaine des r alisateurs), an independent selection at the Cannes Film Festival, are: Ashkal (Tunisia, France, Qatar), directed by Youssef Chebbi, Under the Fig Trees (Tunisia, Swit erland, Qatar, France) by Erige Sehiri, The Dam ( ebanon, France, Sudan, Germany, Serbia, Qatar) by Ali Cherri, and 19 6 (Chile, Qatar) by Manuela Martelli.
The Association du Cin ma Ind pendant pour sa Diffusion ( ’ACID) parallel programme at Cannes is dedicated to exceptional independent films.
This year, DFI-supported film Polaris (France, Greenland, Qatar) by Ainara Vera, will screen at ACID.
The three films at Cannes’ Cin fondation Atelier, supported by the DFI, have been selected for the quality of their directors’ earlier works and the potential of their current projects.
The chosen films are: Cotton Queen (Sudan, Qatar) by Su annah Mirghani, Hamlet from the Slums (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, ebanon, Qatar) by Ahmed Faw i-Saleh, and Al Baseer – The Blind Ferryman (Iraq, Swit erland, Qatar) by Ali Al Fatlawi.