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

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