Doha confirms first youth festival dates

The new five-day festival will present the best in international youth cinema.

The festival will feature the Doha Film Experience – which includes a feature narrative (41 mins and over) competition and a short film (under 40 mins) competition – and the Made in Qatar/Students sections.

The event also offers masterclasses, panels, family-friendly special screenings, thematic retrospectives and tributes.

Competition winners will receive development awards through the Ajyal Film Fund.

There will be jurors in three age categories: 8-12, 13-17 and 18-21.

Submissions close Aug 25.

“We are pleased that submissions are now open for the Ajyal Film Festival for the Young, a first of its kind in the Gulf region,” said Fatma Al Remaihi [pictured], the Festival Director of the Ajyal Film Festival for the Young and DFI’s head of programmes.

“Film education and appreciation are central to engaging young people in cinema. The Doha Film Experience, including our programmes for jurors and prizes for filmmakers, and our Made in Qatar/Students sections will make it fun for younger audiences and their families to be involved in film and filmmaking at this new festival.

“It’s an investment in today’s youth – so it’s really an investment in the future. Our aim is to encourage today’s young people to take on the challenges of the future, so they can become the artists and professionals of tomorrow.”