The Doha Film Institute has revealed 31 projects selected to take part in the inaugural edition of Qumra, set to take place in Doha, Qatar from March 6 to 11.

As many as 23 narrative feature films, four feature documentaries and four short films will take part in a focussed programme of industry sessions designed to propel their work to the next stage of development, said a statement.

About 22 projects were selected from the institute’s funding programmes and nine are by independent filmmakers from Qatar who were identified through its ongoing engagement with local industry.

The emphasis is on supporting first- and second-time filmmakers with projects in development and post-production stages.

The projects represent 29 countries of production with a total of 11 projects from Qatar-based filmmakers, 15 from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and five from the rest of the world.

Nineteen of the 31 projects are in development and the remainder are in post-production or final stages, said the statement.

The directors and producers attached to each project will attend the sessions in Doha, where they will be linked with seasoned industry experts through a series of bespoke meetings tailored to their project’s needs.

The sessions will be comprised of one-on-one meetings, script consultations, pitching sessions, working breakfasts, rough-cut screenings and feedback sessions as well as an exclusive presentation of ‘Final Cut’ screenings where 20-minute excerpts of recently finalised projects will be presented to leading festival programmers, sales agents and distributors.

Fatma Al Remaihi, chief executive officer of DFI, said: “Qumra was created as a direct response to the needs of emerging filmmakers. It is closely bound to the year-round initiatives of the Doha Film Institute - uniting many of the programmes we have developed over the past five years and expanding on them further by connecting filmmakers with industry mentors who will provide creative and practical support to move their projects to the next stage.

“At the heart of Qumra are the projects participating in our inaugural edition. Every aspect of this event is geared towards giving these first and second-time filmmakers access to the knowledge, inspiration and development opportunities that will allow them to move ahead in their careers.”

In addition to the industry programme, the Qumra Projects participants will attend a series of master classes and screenings presented by some of the leading figures in world cinema today.

Mexican actor, director and producer Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros; No; Deficit) has been confirmed as the fifth master to participate.

“The participation of our Masters is integral to Qumra which is founded upon a commitment to the mentorship and creative development of emerging filmmakers. I am delighted to welcome Gael Garcia Bernal as the fifth member of this group, whose combined wealth of experience brings a rich layer of expertise to our programme,” said Al Remaihi.

The event will also include a programme of public screenings curated with input from the Qumra Masters featuring their work alongside new voices in cinema selected from films supported by the Institute’s grants and co-financing programmes. - TradeArabia News Service