Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF), the annual cultural event of Doha Film Institute (DFI is putting the spotlight on home-grown talent with a selection of 19 films by local filmmakers based in the country.

The event will be held from November 17 to 24 at Souq Waqif.

This year marks the largest showcase of Made in Qatar films so far, highlighting the significant strides achieved by the country’s emerging film industry with 15 world premieres, as part of the overall Festival line-up of more than 87 films being screened from across the globe.

The 19 films to be screened from 70 submissions include three feature films, all of which will make their world premiere at the Festival. The films will also compete for the Made in Qatar development award of $10,000 to be evaluated by an independent jury.

This year, Made in Qatar films will be screened under four programmes: New Hopes – with five films exploring themes around hope and pain; Through Their Eyes – featuring  ten short stories of love and friendship as well as introspective documentaries; Angel in June – the story of a young, charitable girl based on real-life events and set in the Filipino community of Doha; and Thriller Night – a collection of three thrilling films by Qataris including a feature that offers a unique meditation on what is beyond life as we know it.

Issa Bin Mohammed Al-Mohannadi, DTFF vice chair, said: “One of the founding mandates of Doha Film Institute and DTFF is to promote a culture of filmmaking in Qatar. Made in Qatar, the largest so far, demonstrates the success of the concerted efforts in creating a robust filmmaking industry locally by identifying and nurturing talent.”

“The films in the selection will surprise viewers with their thematic intensity and narrative style. Most importantly, it offers glimpses of life in Qatar and will resonate with the local community.”

Chadi Zeneddine, resident filmmaker and programmer at DFI said, “The diversity in content and narrative styles demonstrates the strong evolution of local filmmaking over the past few years. Talented youngsters as well as experienced professionals are screening their films in the Made in Qatar programme. The common thread in all these movies is the creativity of the filmmakers to push beyond the obvious and create heartfelt moments from ordinary situations”.

With an expanded Festival format this year, DTFF 2012 will showcase over 87 films from across the globe under distinct themed categories including Arab Film Competition, Made in Qatar, Contemporary World Cinema and Special Screenings. – TradeArabia News Service