The Souq Waqif venue at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival

Doha-based Creative Communication Group (CCG) supplied the Doha Tribeca Film Festival with light and sound equipment, including KF760 Long-Throw Line Array Modules from EAW.

The festival kicked off on 29 October and lasted for four days, with activities and screening held at several venues. The venue Souq Waqif hosted a special screening of The Mummy (Al-Momia), recently restored by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation.

Jalal Dudin, managing partner of CCG, stated: “We used EAW KF760 at Souq Waqif to provide the sound for the screening of The Mummy. The sound quality and surround-sound configuration of EAW speakers projected the movie’s sound effects magnificently, especially since it was an open air screening. We have also used EAW KF730 Compact Line Array Modules at the auditorium, which was set up at the Qatar Museum of Islamic Art gallery for special screenings of the festival movies for celebrities and VIP invitees.”

“We have worked in association with Michael Rome from Boston Sound and Light, and it was a successful collaboration,” commented Philip Venter, CCG sound engineer. “All set-up was up to the standards of Dolby Surround Cinema specifications.”

Inside the Gallery over the festival’s four days, there were screenings and premieres of such films asCairo Time, Coco Before Chanel and Team Qatar, which won a best film audience award of $50,000, presented by actor and Tribeca co-founder Robert De Niro.

Jim Evans

source-http://www.lsionline.co.uk/news/story/CCG-supplies-EAW-array-for-Doha-film-festival/-1NOFU8

Sir Ben Kingsley is sitting on the terrace of the Al Mourjan Restaurant, looking out over the Arabian Gulf. He goes almost unnoticed at the launch of the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival, as attendees take in the panoramic views of the IM Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art and skyscrapers sitting atop 15 billion barrels of oil. Under the sweltering blue sky, Mira Nair, whose movie Amelia has been chosen to show first among the 31 films scheduled over the next four days, introduces Martin Scorsese, who is in town to support the World Cinema Foundation restoration of Shadi Abdel Salam’s 1969 classic The Mummy.

Swanky? Just a little. Most festivals let you know what time a film is going to start by giving you a free catalogue. Here, the timetable was pre-loaded onto an iPod Touch programmed with alarmed reminders of screening times. Tribeca, which was started by Robert De Niro and his colleagues Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff after September 11, 2001, has risked its reputation as the hippest festival on the block by using its brand to set Doha’s festival apart from the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), which had its third edition in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago, and the more established Dubai Film Festival in December.

MEIFF in particular seems worried about the new upstart. This year they employed the former artistic director of Tribeca, Peter Scarlet, to head their festival and also tried to raise the level of glitz in Abu Dhabi with the appearances of Hilary Swank and Demi Moore at their opening night event. Bagging the two-time Oscar winner Swank was particularly cunning, given the announcement that Amelia would have its international premier in Doha. That Swank chose to grace MEIFF, where she did not have a movie showing, rather than attend the international premiere of a movie that she not only stars in, but is also credited as an executive producer of, was surprising. But as Rosenthal told me in the lavish tearoom of the Four Seasons hotel, “If you want to come and support your film then that’s great, but Tribeca are not about to pay people to come to the festival.” Swank should be kicking herself. She missed one of the most spectacular screenings I’ve ever witnessed.

The opening night festivities took place in the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art. There were two simultaneous screenings of the film. The one I attended was inside IM Pei’s structure, alongside Martin Scorsese and Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, the 27-year-old daughter of the Emir of Qatar and the driving force behind creating a film festival in the small state. While the dignitaries sat in the air-conditioned cinema, a free, open-air screening took place, attended by thousands. Nair seemed especially happy that planes could be seen flying over the massive screen as her biopic of Amelia Earhart unfolded.

The festival’s refusal to pay appearance fees is remarkably brave in a region where money talks. Instead, cash was apportioned not only to ensure that guests were provided with a good time – desert safaris, boat trips, a gallop around the Royal stables and VIP tickets to the women’s tennis were all on offer – but also to establish a programme to encourage the emergence of local filmmakers. The most interesting and best event of the festival was a showcase of one-minute films by nine local Qatari filmmakers under the guidance of Scandar Copti, the co-director of Ajami, which won the Sutherland Trophy for best first film at the London Film Festival last week.

There was excitement, awe and pleasure on the faces of the filmmakers when Scorsese stepped up to comment on the movies. The director said that he thought it was more difficult to make a “one-minute film than a two-hour film” and recounted how he had made his best-known short film, The Big Shave, for an avant-garde film festival in circumstances similar to those faced by these first-time Qatari directors. In the audience was Hany-Abu Assad, the director of the Oscar-nominated Paradise Now, who said that he was a little concerned that the films “seemed to be influenced most greatly by American cinema, with not enough attention being paid to the cinematic tradition of Egypt”. Still, the event was such a success that it was repeated two days later, this time with Robert De Niro and the Palestinian actress Hiam Abbas in attendance.

There was so much happening over the course of the packed weekend that it was often difficult to keep up. There was a surprise screening of Spike Jonze’s forthcoming art-house movie for kids,Where the Wild Things Are, which also doubled up as the opening of the new IMAX cinema housed in a shopping mall that has been designed to look like Venice. You can even take a gondola ride around it. Who needs the Venice Film Festival?

There were also 11 films from the Arab region showing. Particularly impressive was Asghar Farhadi’s About Elly, which won an award at the New York Tribeca in May, and Raja Amari’s Buried Secrets.

The actor Patricia Clarkson arrived to support her latest, the cross- cultural drama Cairo Time, which closed the festival. She was hanging out with Scorsese, who directs her in his forthcoming Shutter Island, at the swanky W hotel on the Friday night. Also spotted at the numerous parties over the weekend were Josh Hartnett, Bob Geldof and Cher, who was in town for an awards ceremony for celebrity philanthropists.

The best way to tell if this New York-Doha marriage is ultimately a success or not, will be if it spawns any new Qatar filmmaking talent. For now, though, the signs are good.

source-http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/doha-tribeca-film-festival–full-of-eastern-promise-1815508.html

Fireworks light up the night sky over the Museum of Islamic Art on Sunday, marking the conclusion of the DTFF. PICTURE: Jayan Orma

More than 35,000 people, along with leading film personalities Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Mira Nair, Sir Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Youssra and Elia Suleiman, attended Qatar’s first international film festival which concluded on Sunday night with fireworks. Tribeca Film Festival co-founder De Niro, who hosted the awards show and closing night screening of Cairo Time, described the Doha Tribeca Film Festival “inspirational, full of promise and an important vehicle to discover and support emerging film-makers in Qatar.”
The opening and closing ceremonies, held at the specially erected open-air theatre on the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art, drew big crowds.
DTFF’s executive director Amanda Palmer and managing director Maggie Kim, along with Tribeca co-founders Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff and Tribeca’s chief creative officer Geoff Gilmore joined De Niro for the closing day.
The industry luminaries from around the world, who graced the DTFF, included  Jeffrey Wright, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Muna Wassef, Alexander Siddig, Hiam Abbass, Adel Emam, Haifa Hussein, Jassim Al Nabhan, Hayat Al Fahad, Saad Faraj, Dawood Hussain, Songul Oden and Kivanc Tatlitug.
“Over the past four days and nights, we’ve seen that film can do more than just entertain; it can educate, inspire and unite communities,” Palmer said.
The DTFF executive director hoped that in time, the festival can give Qataris a platform to tell their stories to the world through the universal language of film.
The festival’s future is as bright as its vibrant, enthusiastic community, Gilmore said referring to the more than 1,000 volunteers who signed up and the thousands of people who attended the screenings.
The four-day festival included screenings of 31 films, 11 of which have roots in the Middle East, as well as a wide array of panel discussions, educational workshops, star-studded red carpets, eight free, open air screenings in some of Doha’s most iconic locales, family-focused special events and more.
Thursday’s opening evening crowd of more than 5,000 was nearly double the number expected by festival organisers, underscoring the community’s enthusiasm and support for the festival.
On Friday, the more than 1,000 people who attended DTFF Family Day at the Museum enjoyed the chance to take a Bollywood dance lesson, saw jaw-dropping stunts and martial arts demonstrations, learned the basics of making an animated film, had their face painted and more.
The following evening, 1,500 people joined DTFF for a Halloween night under the stars. The Souq Waqif, an authentic Middle Eastern bazaar located in the heart of Doha, provided the dramatic back-drop for the Qatar premiere of The Mummy (Al-Momia), which was restored by Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation.
To enhance the public’s engagement with the festival, DTFF’s website, www.dohatribecafilm.com, provided everything from detailed day-by-day “insider” guides to interviews with film-makers.
The website also provided those unable to attend the festival a virtual ticket to DTFF through videos, blogs, social networking platforms, photo galleries and other original content.
The DTFF was formed through a strategic partnership by Qatar Museums Authority chairperson HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and CEO Abdulla al-Najjar and the Tribeca Film Festival Founders, Rosenthal, Hatkoff, and De Niro.
The arrangement was spearheaded by DTFF executive director Amanda Palmer. Uniquely Qatari in its identity, the festival is modelled on the success of Tribeca Film Festival’s dedication to engage the local community and promote film-making talent.
DTFF’s ongoing aim will be to inspire, engage and educate a new generation of cinema appreciation locally; discover, mentor and fund regional film-making talent; foster a community through art and entertainment; and encourage open discussion and debate.

source-http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=324032&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Director Martin Scorsese looks dapper as he arrives in DOHA. He is there early so he will be fresh to be on hand on Friday at the MIA for a special event, to view some of the one-minute films created this summer during DTFF’s educational workshops. Scorsese will offer feedback to these budding filmmakers as well as general comment about the art of filmmaking. Additionally, his World Cinema Foundation has restored a print of "The Mummy" (Al-Momia), the most important film from Egypt from 1969, which will be screened at Souq Waqif, a traditional bazaar in the middle of Doha.

After nearly a year of intense planning, the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) kicks off tomorrow with the likes of legendary director Martin Scorsese, Academy Award?-winning actors Robert De Niro and Sir Ben Kingsley, and Egyptian screen sensation Youssra. DTFF, a partnership between the Qatar Museums Authority and Tribeca Enterprises, will run 29 October through 1 November.

As part of Opening Night, DTFF also will feature a free, open-air screening of “Amelia” on the enormous 24-meter wide screen constructed on the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). More than 3,000 members of the Qatari community are expected to attend, and DTFF will live-stream all of the glamour from the red carpet, including celebrity interviews, to the giant screen, so that festivalgoers don’t miss a moment of the excitement. Additional entertainment will be provided by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, which will perform live prior to the Amelia screening.

Then on Friday, 30 October, screenings will start at City Center Cinemas, the beach at the Four Seasons and the MIA Gallery. On Saturday, 31 October, there will be a special screening at Souq Waqif as well as Villaggio’s IMAX cinema. Check www.dohatribecafilm.com for the latest schedule.

In addition to films
Starting Friday, the MIA grounds will be transformed for Family Day from 1:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Guests can take a Bollywood or Hip Hop lesson from an international dance troupe, which also will perform jaw-dropping stunts and martial arts demonstrations. Or participants may take part in an animation workshop to learn the basics of making an animated film. With the addition of arts and crafts, face painting and Titan The Robot – an 8-foot tall robot who brings out the child in everyone—there’s something for everyone.

Friday evening, Family Day activities center around the MIA’s enormous screen and open-air theater, which will show two family-friendly films. The first is the world premiere of inspirational animated film Assila, which focuses on the themes of family, loyalty, love and courage. The second is Turtle: The Incredible Journey, the fascinating story of a Loggerhead turtle’s lifelong journey. The Loggerhead turtle has one of the longest, most amazing migrations of the animal kingdom.

For those looking for something more grown-up on Friday night, the Four Seasons beach will provide a striking setting for another DTFF free, outdoor screening. This time of Captain Abu Raed, a story about friendship, inspiration and heroism set in contemporary Jordan.

Source: Press ReleaseAbout DTFF
Doha Tribeca Film Festival was formed through a strategic partnership by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and CEO Abdulla Al Najjar of the Qatar Museums Authority and the Tribeca Film Festival Founders, Jane Rosenthal, Craig Hatkoff, and Robert De Niro. The arrangement was spearheaded by DTFF Executive Director Amanda Palmer. 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. In its inaugural year, Doha’s first international film festival will celebrate the best of Arabic and international cinema. Its ongoing aim will be 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.

source-http://www.examiner.com/x-20053-Boston-Cultural-Events-Examiner~y2009m10d29-Martin-Scorsese-arrives-in-the-Middle-East-for-Doha-Tribecca-Film-Festival

The 24m wide giant screen set up on the MIA grounds, being prepared for the DTFF. PICTURE: Nasar T K

The world premiere of Jasim, a film on the rise to power and prominence of the founder and first ruler of modern Qatar, Sheikh Jasim bin Mohamed bin Thani, will be held tomorrow at 4pm as part of the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
Commissioned by the State National Day Celebrations Organisation Committee, the 23-minute epic drama was shot entirely on location in Qatar with a local cast.
The only all-Qatari movie in the four-day DTFF, which begins today, Jasim, is also to be telecast on the Al Doha TV channel on December 18 as part of this year’s Qatar National Day celebrations.
Jasim is directed by the renowned UK director Peter Webber, whose film Girl With A Pearl Earring starring Scarlett Johannson and Colin Firth received three Academy Award, two Golden Globe and 10 BAFTA Award nominations.
Webber and cast members will join guests at tomorrow’s screening.
Starting tomorrow, the MIA grounds will be transformed for DTFF’s Family Day from 1pm to 9pm. Guests can take a Bollywood or Hip Hop lesson from an international dance troupe, which also will perform stunts and martial arts demonstrations.
Or participants may take part in an animation workshop to learn the basics of making an animated film. Arts and crafts, face-painting and Titan, an 8ft tall robot, are among the attractions.
Two family-friendly films are to be screened at the open-air theatre on MIA grounds tomorrow evening. The first is the world premiere of inspirational animated film Assila, which focuses on the themes of family, loyalty, love and courage.
The second is Turtle: The Incredible Journey, the story of the lifelong journey of a Loggerhead turtle, which has one of the longest, most amazing migrations of the animal kingdom.
Captain Abu Raed, described as Jordan’s first feature film in 50 years, is being screened tomorrow night for free at the Four Seasons beach. It is about friendship, inspiration and heroism set in contemporary Jordan.
There are three free screenings on Saturday night. Souq Waqif will provide a dramatic backdrop for the Qatar premiere of The Mummy (Al-Momia), one of the most important Egyptian movies ever made.
It is based on the true story of the Horabat tribe, an upper-class Egyptian clan that robbed a tomb of Pharaohs to sell the artefacts on the black market. Prior to the start of the film, fire dancers will perform.
The same evening, the Four Seasons beach will host acclaimed film-maker Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, which centres around the themes of love and families.
The last day of DTFF, Sunday, kicks off with Filmmaker Day at the MIA, which will be held from 9am to 2pm. Activities include a special screening of The Time That Remains, followed by a Master Class with the film’s director – Elia Suleiman, a screening of the inspirational film, Team Qatar, and live debate about the film dubbed, Up For Debate: The Film Challenge.  Comedians Dean Obeidallah, Maysoon Zayid and Omar Offendum will participate in the live debate.
Filmmaker Day-goers can also learn how to be a stuntman, actor, TV news reporter and how to make a one-minute film.  They can also attend workshops on screenwriting, and animation and 3D-TV.
There will be no parking at the MIA during the festival.  Visitors are encouraged to park at the Civil Defence roundabout and take the free shuttle to and from the MIA. The shuttle will run every 15 minutes throughout DTFF.  The shuttle’s working hours are: Today – 3.45pm to 12.30am; tomorrow – 12.45pm to 11pm, and Sunday – 8.45am to midnight.
For parking at Souq Waqif on Saturday, the shuttle will run only to and from the Souq from 6.30pm to midnight. Beach chairs will be set up in the lot off Grand Hamad Street.  Guests may bring their own chairs or blankets. All seating is on a first-come-first-served basis.

source-http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=323115&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Doha Tribeca Film Festival crew busy setting up the open air auditorium on the Museum of Islamic Art grounds. (Shaival Dalal)

With seven days to go, DTFF organisers are now finalising the massive preparations leading to the opening night. The grounds of the MIA, where a number of DTFF activities will take place during the three-and-a-half-day event, shows a number of people working on finishing the huge open air auditorium with a width of 178ft, depth 107ft and height 72ft The open air auditorium’s stage has a width of around 98ft.

“Our goal is to have everything done by Sunday,” Michael Petrovich, DTFF Production Manager, told The Peninsula.

The grounds of the MIA is being groomed to accommodate around 3,000 people on the first day of the festival, where “lovely” adjustable beach chairs with DTFF logos will be put up during the event. “We want to create that film festival environment here,” said Petrovich.

In the open air auditorium will rise a 24X10 metres film screen and two LED screens of 8mX6M. The area will be equipped with a Dolby 5.1 surround sound system.

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will perform onstage and regale the crowd with a performance of highlights from classic cinema scores.

The grounds of the museum is not the only area being readied for the event. A gallery-atrium inside the museum is being prepped up to accommodate its very important guests. The DTFF team decided to construct a cinema inside the gallery with 313 general seating to accommodate VIPs. An Emiri Box, which will seat 16 people, will also be constructed for the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, members of ruling family and special guests.

H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who brought about the DTFF, will join the rest of the guests outside the museum after greeting the VIPs inside the gallery.

Guests on the opening night of the film festival will be treated to Mira Nair’s film Amelia. The DTFF will run from October 29 to November 1. Opening night will take place at the MIA.

“The inside will look like a classic theatre once its done… elegant like an old movie house and it will be simply lit… the seats are purchased from Arena Seating in the UK,” said Petrovich.

The MIA grounds will open at 4pm and Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will perform before the screening on the 22 metre-high outdoor stage. Light refreshments and DTFF merchandise will be available for purchase on the grounds. Three large tents will be erected and a series of canopies for vendors. Gates close at 6.30pm for security purposes. Public entrance to the MIA grounds will be at the second gate on the Port Road.

Due to limited space, parking will not be permitted at the MIA. Free parking will be available at Al Isteklal (Civil Defense R/A) and festival shuttles will run to and from the MIA from 3.45pm to 12.30am at regular intervals. The first 500 audience members to travel on the Festival shuttle will receive free official Festival T-shirts.

DTFF’s Opening Night kicks off the Festival’s three days of films, workshops, family activities, panels and free events. Opening Night is free to Blue Badge holders or by waiting in line at the event. Blue Badges can be purchased at any DTFF Box Office or at the venue on the night.

Meanwhile, there was an overwhelming demand for the film festival tickets, with close to 2,000 tickets are already sold off. “I am looking forward to watching ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ by Michael Moore… I liked all his works… He certainly knows how to pick his subjects…,” said a 31-year-old Qatari national working in Ras Gas.

Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” features a documentary that shows pirates have nothing on the greedy people of Wall Street, and the banks and insurance companies that merrily loot America with the help of elected officials.

Moore’s documentary will be shown on October 30 at 2pm at the City Center, Coco Before Chanel at 10pm on October 30 at the MIA, Cairo Time at 8pm on October 30 at MIA, Informant! on October 31 at 5pm at the City Center and Serious Man at 8pm on November 1 at the City Center.

Joyce Abano & Mohamed Saeed

source-http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=October2009&file=Local_News2009102202927.xml

The dedicated Doha Tribeca Film Festival bus.

Over the next few weeks, a branded VIP Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) bus will bring workshops, ticket sales, merchandise and the occasional screening at various venues across the city.

The DTFF bus is on the road daily now through Sunday, November 1. To kick off the tour, DTFF Community Outreach Programmer and award-winning filmmaker Scandar Copti visited Aspire Park on Sunday to host a children’s animation workshop.

In the coming weeks, planned workshops will teach participants a variety of techniques for improvised acting and animation, including drawing, sand and clay animation.

“What’s great about the bus is we are able to go directly to the people, rather than the people come to us, and to engage with people who have never worked in filmmaking. This is everyone’s chance to be involved in the Festival and learn behind the scenes,” said Copti.

In addition to the workshops, a mobile entertainment village lives on board the bus.

This includes a booth for recording comments from the public, an inflatable screen that will show trailers and other DTFF material, and a mobile box office that will sell special DTFF merchandise.

Destinations across the city include Souq Waqif, Al Corniche, Dahle Al Hamam Park, Villagio, Education City, Museum of Islamic Art with others to be confirmed.

source-http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=October2009&file=Local_News2009100702528.xml

Introduced in Qatar in the 1950s and initially confused with witchcraft, the history of motion picture, which began on big outdoor movie screens before moving into cinema halls, is being showcased by a leading Qatari filmmaker in a new documentary, marking the growth of movie mania in the country.

“The motion picture was introduced to the Qatari community by British and other foreign oil companies,” Hafiz Ali recalled in an interview with Gulf Times. Lacking any entertainment in the desert during the 1950s, these companies installed big outdoor cinema screens and seats, where they displayed foreign movies for the locals working with them.

At that time, there were no cinemas or television. The make-shift open air cinema was is some locations the only exposure to films. Some of the locals thought that these pictures in motion were witchcraft.

However, soon they began to like this entertainment and sought Lebanese and Egyptian movies for private screening in private homes and sports clubs. Subsequently, a competition for cultural performances emerged, among the clubs. Local businessmen, who realised the commercial potential established the Gulf and Doha cinemas in the 1970s.

Ali recalled that the introduction of the television in Qatar during this period marked the turning point for cinema in Qatar. “The cinema audience began to dramatically decline with the onset of the satellite TV channels and internet.

“Cinemas were filled with viewers again, only in 1998, with the blockbuster The Titanic,” he stated.

Ali pointed out that Titanic changed perceptions regarding cinema, which was considered an entertainment form for the men in the Qatari society. “Cinema became a family and social practice”, he added. The film director observed that the documentary’s topic and scenario writer, Abdulrahman Mohsen, Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution Company’s manager, has brought up the issue, when the British Council contacted various Qatari artistes, in the framework of a photography and video project about Qatar. However, the British Council shifted the project to a documentary, after inspecting the artistes’ works. It anticipated success for the combination of Mohsen’s scenario and Ali’s filmmaking skills.

Ali explained that the 27-minute film is a combination of archived material, interviews with early players in cinema’s beginnings in Qatar, shooting scenes and actors. The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, as well as Jazeera Children’s Channel, Qatar Cinema Company and Qatar TV participated along with British Council in funding the film.

He said that it would be screened during the celebration of Doha Arab cultural capital next year. Answering a question about the possibility of making films tackling issues modern Qatari society’s interaction with the multicultural expatriate community, Ali observed that Qatar needs to build up a record of its historical and traditional features before taking any step in that direction. Ali revealed that the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage is in the process of establishing a club for Qatari cinema in an effort to promote Doha as the Arab Cultural Capital next year. He said that a delay marked Qatar’s catch-up with other Gulf countries’ film industry, however, the cinema club is to pave the way for the industry.

Source: “New documentary explores cinema’s impact in Qatar” Ourouba Hussein -Gulf Times. Read full article at: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=295572&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16.

Qatar Museums Authority (QMA), the organization dedicated to developing the cultural resources of this Arabian Gulf state as a platform for international dialogue and understanding, has announced a groundbreaking agreement with New York’s world-renowned Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), to launch a world-class international film festival, Tribeca Film Festival Doha. The first festival will take place November 10 – 14, 2009 and be presented at Doha’s celebrated new Museum of Islamic Art and in cinemas across Doha. It will feature special events such as outdoor movie screenings and films for children.

The announcement of the cultural partnership was made at a special ceremony at the new Museum of Islamic Art, which was attended by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of the Qatar Museums Authority Board of Trustees, and Abdullah Al Najjar, Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Museums Authority. Joining on behalf of the Tribeca Film Festival were the co-founders, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff.

H.E. Sheikha Mayassa expressed her confidence that the Tribeca Film Festival Doha will bring together people from around the globe and help to build international awareness and understanding of Arab culture and the Arab world.

“I invite film enthusiasts from every country to share their passion for this art by visiting the Tribeca Film Festival Doha,” Her Excellency stated. “In today’s increasingly globalized world, creative initiatives like this Festival can play a truly inspirational role by bringing cultures closer together.”
Tribeca Film Festival Doha will be modeled after the annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, which is going into its eighth year. Like the New York event, it will welcome the community, diverse audiences and the global filmmaking industry. As a result of an extensive collaboration between TFF and QMA, the Festival has been designed to showcase the local Qatari community, as well as the broader Arab culture.

Tribeca Film Festival Doha will feature new work from established filmmakers, alongside film debuts from newly discovered directing talents. The program will include approximately 40 films, as well as special events. The Festival will launch “The Doha Conversations”, thought-provoking and insightful dialogues between icons of world culture set in intimate environments, with the goal of fostering discussion in Qatar and around the globe. Full details of the festival program and guests will be announced at a later date.

“The Tribeca Film Festival Doha is destined to become a major annual event in world cinema,” stated Abdullah Al Najjar. “The Festival will include a wide range of programming, from outdoor screenings to movies for children, from documentaries to new Hollywood releases and from independent films to showcases of the very best works by Arab filmmakers.”

“We are honored to create an enduring cultural partnership with QMA and to announce the launch of the Tribeca Film Festival Doha next November. Qatar’s transformational vision for the 21st century with its emphasis on culture and education is uniquely consistent with the goals and aspirations of the Tribeca Film Festival,” said TFF co-founder, Jane Rosenthal.

“We hope that film will not only be used as a form of entertainment at Tribeca Film Festival Doha but play a role in bridging cultures closer together. By learning each other’s stories, we can see how much we share in common as well as explore and better understand our differences,” said Robert De Niro.
“In addition to the positive cultural implications, this initiative underscores the enormous potential of the entertainment market in the Middle East and the strategic importance of the region to the future of the film industry,” said TFF co-founder Craig Hatkoff. “We think the key to success will be understanding and respecting one another’s cultures and traditions. We believe this Festival will lead to many other important and educational initiatives in Doha and beyond.”

“The Tribeca Film Festival has become a world-renowned event, and its new partnership with the Qatar Museums Authority will leverage that success and help further its mission of introducing films and filmmakers to a global audience,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “The Festival’s substantial cultural and economic impact in New York City is unequivocal, and our hope is that Doha will reap similar benefits. The expansion of a New York institution like the Tribeca Film Festival to Doha is a sign of the international significance of New York City cinema and will help foster new relationships between our two cities.”

Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in response to the events of September 11. The festival’s initial purpose was to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.

Up to date festival information can be found by visiting the official Tribeca Film Festival Doha website — www.tffdoha.com

Read full article at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Tribeca-Film-Festival-Qatar-Museums/story.aspx?guid={F09F4E3C-AD25-4EF1-8AAB-B634492F10B8}

Outdoor movies and inflatable movie screens have been appearing in locations all around the world. Over time we will be adding links to articles about outdoor movies and open air cinema events. These articles are listed according to the country where the inflatable movie screen has been set up or the country where the outdoor movie event takes place.

A

• Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia
• Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK overseas territory)
• Åland – Åland Islands (Autonomous province of Finland)
• Albania – Republic of Albania
• Algeria – People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
• American Samoa – Territory of American Samoa (US territory)
• Andorra – Principality of Andorra
• Angola – Republic of Angola
• Anguilla (UK overseas territory)
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina – Argentine Republic
• Armenia – Republic of Armenia
• Aruba (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• Ascension Island (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
• Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
• Austria – Republic of Austria
• Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan

B

• Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas
• Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
• Bangladesh – People’s Republic of Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus – Republic of Belarus
• Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
• Belize
• Benin – Republic of Benin
• Bermuda (UK overseas territory)
• Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
• Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana – Republic of Botswana
• Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil
• Brunei – Negara Brunei Darussalam
• Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burma – Union of Myanmar
• Burundi – Republic of Burundi

C

• Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia
• Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon
• Canada
• Cape Verde – Republic of Cape Verde
• Cayman Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Central African Republic
• Chad – Republic of Chad
• Chile – Republic of Chile
• China – People’s Republic of China
• For “China, Republic of”, see Taiwan
• Christmas Island – Territory of Christmas Island (Australian overseas territory)
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australian overseas territory)
• Colombia – Republic of Colombia
• Comoros – Union of the Comoros
• Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Congo – Republic of the Congo
• Cook Islands (Associated state of New Zealand)
• Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica
• Côte d’Ivoire – Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
• Croatia – Republic of Croatia
• Cuba – Republic of Cuba
• Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic

D

• Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
• For “Dhekelia”, see Akrotiri and Dhekelia
• Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti
• Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica
• Dominican Republic

E

• East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
• Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador
• Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt
• El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea – State of Eritrea
• Estonia – Republic of Estonia
• Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

F

• Falkland Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Faroe Islands (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
• Fiji – Republic of the Fiji Islands
• Finland – Republic of Finland
• France – French Republic
• French Polynesia (French overseas collectivity)

G

• Gabon – Gabonese Republic
• Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
• Ghana – Republic of Ghana
• Gibraltar (UK overseas territory)
• Greece – Hellenic Republic
• Greenland (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
• Grenada
• Guam – Territory of Guam (US organized territory)
• Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala
• Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey (British Crown dependency)
• Guinea – Republic of Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana

H

• Haiti – Republic of Haiti
• Honduras – Republic of Honduras
• Hong Kong – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
• Hungary – Republic of Hungary

I

• Iceland – Republic of Iceland
• India – Republic of India
• Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia
• Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran
• Iraq – Republic of Iraq
• Ireland – Ireland
• Isle of Man (British Crown dependency)
• Israel – State of Israel
• Italy – Italian Republic
• For “Ivory Coast”, see Côte d’Ivoire

J

• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jersey – Bailiwick of Jersey (British Crown dependency)
• Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

K

• Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan
• Kenya – Republic of Kenya
• Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
• Korea, North – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
• Korea, South – Republic of Korea
• Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo
• Kuwait – State of Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic

L

• Laos – Lao People’s Democratic Republic
• Latvia – Republic of Latvia
• Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon
• Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
• Liberia – Republic of Liberia
• Libya – Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
• Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
• Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
• Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

M

• Macao – Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
• Macedonia – Republic of Macedonia
• Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar
• Malawi – Republic of Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives – Republic of Maldives
• Mali – Republic of Mali
• Malta – Republic of Malta
• Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania
• Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius
• Mayotte – Departmental Collectivity of Mayotte (French overseas collectivity)
• Mexico – United Mexican States
• Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia
• Moldova – Republic of Moldova
• Monaco – Principality of Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Montserrat (UK overseas territory)
• Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco
• Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique
• For “Myanmar”, see Burma

N

• Nagorno-Karabakh – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh)
• Namibia – Republic of Namibia
• Nauru – Republic of Nauru
• Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
• Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• New Caledonia – Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies (French community sui generis)
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
• Niger – Republic of Niger
• Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Niue (Associated state of New Zealand)
• Norfolk Island – Territory of Norfolk Island (Australian overseas territory)
• Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Northern Mariana Islands – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US commonwealth)
• For “North Korea”, see Korea, North
• Norway – Kingdom of Norway

O

• Oman – Sultanate of Oman

P

• Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Palau – Republic of Palau
• Palestine – Palestinian Territories
• Panama – Republic of Panama
• Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay
• For “People’s Republic of China”, see China
• Peru – Republic of Peru
• Philippines – Republic of the Philippines
• Pitcairn Islands – Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Poland – Republic of Poland
• Portugal – Portuguese Republic
• For “Pridnestrovie”, see Transnistria
• Puerto Rico – Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (US commonwealth)

Q

• Qatar – State of Qatar

R

• Romania
• Russia – Russian Federation
• Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda

S

• Saint Barthélemy – Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Helena (UK overseas territory)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin – Collectivity of Saint Martin (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon – Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa – Independent State of Samoa
• San Marino – Most Serene Republic of San Marino
• São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
• Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Senegal – Republic of Senegal
• Serbia – Republic of Serbia
• Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
• Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone
• Singapore – Republic of Singapore
• Slovakia – Slovak Republic
• Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia – Somali Republic
• Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland
• South Africa – Republic of South Africa
• For “South Korea”, see Korea, South
• South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia
• Spain – Kingdom of Spain
• Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
• Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
• Suriname – Republic of Suriname
• Svalbard (Territory of Norway)
• Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland
• Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
• Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
• Syria – Syrian Arab Republic

T

• Taiwan – Republic of China
• Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan
• Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
• Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand
• For “Timor-Leste”, see East Timor
• Togo – Togolese Republic
• Tokelau (Overseas territory of New Zealand)
• Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
• Transnistria – Transnistrian Moldovan Republic
• Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
• Tristan da Cunha (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
• Tunisia – Tunisian Republic
• Turkey – Republic of Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Turks and Caicos Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Tuvalu

U

• Uganda – Republic of Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• United States – United States of America
• Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay
• Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan

V

• Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu
• Vatican City – State of the Vatican City
• Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
• Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam
• Virgin Islands, British – British Virgin Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Virgin Islands, United States – United States Virgin Islands (US organized territory)

W

• Wallis and Futuna – Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands (French overseas collectivity)
• Western Sahara – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Y

• Yemen – Republic of Yemen

Z

• For “Zaire”, see Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Zambia – Republic of Zambia
• Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe