The oldest film festival in the world presents a selection of famed multinational films every year.
This year’s Venice International Film Festival has rolled out the red carpet for five films supported by the Doha Film Institute (DFI), bringing in Qatari-led talents for yet another year.
‘City of Wind,’ ‘Bye Bye Tiberias,’ ‘Behind the Mountains,’ ‘Sea Salt,’ and ‘Backstage’ have all been selected as the line-up of the 80th Venice International Film Festival.
DFI stressed that the achievement is a “milestone in highlighting exceptional storytelling from the Arab world and Mongolia.”
“Acknowledging this immense talent and dedication of our grantees as they step into the spotlight at the 80th edition [of] Venice Film Festival. This premiere continues to mark significant milestones in highlighting exceptional storytelling from the Arab world and Mongolia,” a DFI statement said.
“Congratulations to our grantees for this well-deserved recognition. #Venezia80 #SupportArabCinema,” the cultural organisation wrote on their social media channels.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the DFI, said: “We are on a mission to discover and promote original and independent voices in cinema and have had the great privilege of supporting the most powerful and important voices from the region and beyond through our Grants programme,”
All five films have been applauded for capturing the viewer’s attention and immersing them in a compelling story.
The Venice International Film Festival is considered to be the world’s oldest film festival and one of the ‘Big Five’ international film festivals worldwide. It will run from 30 August to 9 September.
‘City of Wind’ and ‘Bye Bye Tiberias,’ directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir and Lina Soualem, booked a ticket at the Toronto International Film Festival.
In ‘City of Wind,’ director Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir showcases the story of a 17-year-old shaman living in modern Mongolia who journeys with his spiritual connection to his ancestral spirit.
Engulfed in a fragile and demanding community, the film tells the tale of the shaman’s quest for success.
‘Bye Bye Tiberias’ follows the character of Hiam Abbass, who leaves her village in Palestine to pursue her dream of becoming an actress, leaving behind her mother, grandmother, and sisters.
The in-depth film explores four generations of women and how different yet similar their lives are from one another.
A pillar of support
Founded by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 2010, DFI has quickly become a pillar of the Arab film industry. The company has supported several diverse projects through its grants programme.
To date, DFI has supported more than 750 films from 75 countries.
This year, the film institute pledged to continue “promote original and independent voices in cinema.”
