“Amelia” Opening Doha Tribeca Film Fest; Full Lineup Unveiled

A scene from Mira Nair's "Amelia," which will open the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight.

Mira Nair’s “Amelia” will open the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival in the Middle Eastern capital of Qatar next month. The Fox Searchlight release recalls legendary aviator Amelia Earhart, starring two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank and Golden Globe winner Richard Gere. The new fest is part of a long-term partnership between the Qatar Museums Authority and Tribeca Enterprises, which oversees April’s annual Tribeca Film Festival. Thirty-two films will screen at the first festival, with 12 coming from the Middle East and additional titles from the international festival circuit. The DTFF will run from October 29 to November 1, 2009 in Doha, Qatar.

Festival activities will be centered at the internationally-acclaimed, I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art, an architectural homage to modernity and history that underscores what organizers describe as, “the unique character of Doha.” In addition, open-air screenings around the city will include a showing of the 1969 Egyptian film, “The Mummy (Al-Momia).” This classic, a restored print presented by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation, will be shown outdoors at the Souq Waqif, a traditional Middle Eastern bazaar in the heart of Doha.

The film program is highlighted by such titles as “Cairo Time,” starring Patricia Clarkson, “A Serious Man,” the new film from Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen, and “The Informant!” from director Steven Soderbergh, a Warner Bros. release starring Matt Damon.

“We wanted the program to be a partnership, so as we develped the program, it became obvious that [work] from the Middle East should be a core,” Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises told indieWIRE indieWIRE. “This [festival] isn’t founded on red carpet and celebrities. It’s about developing a film culture and an industry, so showcasing regional work is something that was important.”

Gilmore continued to say that he sees an emergence of Arab filmmaking as part of an “Arab Diaspora” of filmmakers. It can be seen in co-productions such as “Son of Babylon,” which will screen during the event. “They’re full fleshed co-productions, but they’re sensibility and storytelling are Arab. “We want to showcase a range of work from a new generation, which underscores our mission - not just starting a film festival, but working on a longterm project to establish a film industry.”

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Gilmore said the idea of establishing an event in Doha came via an intern in Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal’s office who happened to be a member of Qatar’s royal family. He said that aside from oil money, the small Gulf State has gained worldwide notice for being the home of Arab news network Al Jazeera in addition to its I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art. “This third project fits in with their ambitions,” said Gilmore. “These things, I believe, have made Doha a gateway to the Middle East.” Festival organizers also announced that in its first year, 31 of the 33 films in the lineup will be eligible for two audience-based awards each carrying unrestricted cash prizes amounting to $50,000 (USD). Audience award winners will be announced at DTFF’s closing night ceremony on November 1st.  During the ceremony, the festival will also announce a screenplay development and filmmaker grant program to “develop and support filmmakers year-round in the region.” DTFF’s full slate with descriptions provided by the event continue on page 2:   (1 of 2)  Next Page › Login to recommend this article » posted on September 29, 2009 |Share Comments 1 crystalle says on October 4, 2009 at 12:29pm The aerial dancer CRYSTALLE presents her new masterpiece „AMELIYA“                       Crystalle starts working on the performance already in 2006, long before                       the 20th CENTURY FOX movie AMELIA became reality.       Adagio for Ameliya   The performance is an homage to the legendary female pilot Amelia Earhart who in 1932, was the first woman                       to fly single handed across the Atlantic. With this amazing feat, Amelia Earhart embodied                           self-confidence, strength and an ability to plan down to the smallest detail combined with an incredible lust for life.                    She was, and still is, an inspiration for all women and men who want to fly. This fascinating woman has also inspired CRYSTALLE                         to take flight in a spell-bindingly different way. Working exclusively with the British choreographer                     Christina Comtesse a new concept and vocabulary of movement has been developed, using a specially designed pilot seat built and developed by the technical team of the Seattle Opera House (USA) Please ask for pictures and more informations (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) http://www.crystalle.eu Login to Leave a Comment »