Years of Culture
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2025/01/16
The Doha Film Institute (DFI) showcases local filmmaking talent as well as bringing international cinematic talent to Doha from around the world.
The DFI has been pivotal in developing the local film industry, supporting aspiring Qatari filmmakers through the funding of projects, masterclasses and mentoring programmes.
Under the leadership of DFI Founder and Chairperson H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the institute has become a reference in the region, embodying their motto “Film is Life” through storytelling, collaboration and education.
Many past Qatar Museums exhibitions have also been affiliated with events at the DFI such as the Doha Film Experience for Baghdad: Eyes Delight at MIA. Providing added context and a more in depth experience, a collection of films were chosen to tie-in with the themes of the exhibition.
As part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture, Doha Film Institute (DFI) presented Mosaics of Morocco, a captivating series of contemporary Moroccan films at the Museum of Islamic Art.
The Ajyal Film Festival is an annual DFI-run film festival in Doha promoting homegrown talent, with an emphasis on films for children and young people. Ajyal means “generations” in Arabic, underlining the festival’s mission to empower and inspire young cinema enthusiasts in Qatar and abroad.
Ajyal welcomes jurors from across the world, aged between 8 and 25, to participate in filmmaking workshops, attend screenings and select the competition winners. Screenings are typically held at Katara Cultural Village, VOX cinema at Doha Festival City and other pop-up locations, including a fun open air Drive-in Cinema in Lusail.
Lebanese Filmmaker Alessandra El Chanty was commissioned to make a short documentary film by the Qatar-MENASA 2022 Year of Culture, after winning the Bader Best Short Film Award at Ajyal.
To commemorate the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture, Ajyal Festival will feature a series of short Moroccan films as part of this year’s Made in Morocco special screenings programme co-curated by the Marrakech Short Film Festival (MARRAKECHsFF).
The Best Cinemas in QatarQatar has many different cinemas to choose from, from large multiplexes to smaller boutique cinemas, with somewhere to suit every budget. Here are more of the best places to see movies in theatres in Qatar:
The innovative cinema offers a lavish VIP experience, teaming up with professional chefs to create special menus that can be enjoyed before the movie or delivered directly to your seat.
VOX has also partnered with DFI to screen independent films once a month. See upcoming and past DFI at VOX movies on the Doha Film Institute website.
A great place to watch Hollywood and Bollywood movies in Qatar, Cineco in West Bay is conveniently located within the City Center Mall. With Arabic, Hindi and English language movies showing in Qatar,
With just eight screens, Flik Cinema is smaller and cosier than some of the larger multiplex cinemas in Doha, perfect for enjoying the latest movies in Qatar.
See the latest movies showing in Qatar in the most impressive setting at Novo Cinemas, home to Qatar’s largest cinema screen, with two locations at the Mall of Qatar and The Pearl-Qatar. The IMAX experience at Novo in Doha is unrivalled.
For an even more exclusive cinematic adventure, the Majlis experience promises cinemagoers their very own private space complete with personal butler and delicious four-course meal served during the film.
The average cinema ticket in Doha costs anywhere from QR35 for a smaller cinema up to QR90 and above for a more luxurious experience at an IMAX screen or a VIP cinema with food. Many Years of Culture events and screenings at DFI are free.
Cinema has played a pivotal role in the Years of Culture exchange programme, building bridges with other cultures through the art of filmmaking.
Cinema has the power to transport audiences in Qatar to new places and the medium of film is a powerful conduit for understanding other cultures and points of view. There have been a wide variety of unforgettable film events and initiatives since Years of Culture began.
DFI hosted two major film events in Qatar to mark the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture, beginning with DFI Indonesia Indie Summer Hits at the Islamic Museum of Art (MIA). This curated summer series presented highlights of Indonesian Cinema, created by both emerging and established filmmakers.
Later in the year, Indonesia Through the Lens, an Indonesian Cinema Spotlight was held in partnership with Qatar Museums, the Madani and Jogja Netpac Film Festival and the Indonesian Embassy in Qatar.
The tenth anniversary of the Years of Culture initiative saw a phenomenal line-up of movies in Qatar, selected to represent the best of the MENASA region, alongside a compelling Made in Qatar Showcase. The occasion of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, called for a series of family-friendly and classic film screenings for football fans and locals at popular venues around the city.
A very special film event took place in Los Angeles for the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture, when esteemed guests were invited to an evening of cinema under the stars. The Desert Drive-In Cultural Exchange paid homage to Bedouin culture at a pop-up outdoor cinema screening films by Arab filmmakers.
Back in 2017, audiences in Doha were invited to attend the Qatar-Germany 2017 Year of Culture Film Week at MIA, hosted by the DFI in partnership with the German Embassy in Qatar and Goethe Institute.
The Qatar-UK 2013 Year of Culture brought the best of British cinema to Qatar, while the DFI gave Qatari filmmakers the opportunity to travel to the Uk. Through the British Council, Maryam Al-Sahli and Hend Fakhroo took part in the Birds Eye View Film Festival at the British Film Institute in London, which celebrated the work of Arab women filmmakers.
In 2012, during the very first Year of Culture, The Doha Film Institute (DFI) Japanese Cinema Showcase highlighted the diversity and richness of Japanese cinema through monthly film screenings open to the public in Doha, which also raised funds for the ROTA tsunami relief fund.
See more recommendations of things to do in Doha with Years of Culture.
