As submissions close for the THIMUN Qatar Northwestern Film Festival 2014 close and student films are posting online, some videos have already gained traction on Youtube.

Organized jointly by The Hague International Model United Nations Qatar (a program of Qatar Academy) and Northwestern University in Qatar, the film festival is open to high school students across the world.

Its mission is to “encourage a better understanding of and appreciation for cinematic arts (and) to help to put a human face on the contemporary issues facing the world today.”

Al Hamali

From April 17 to 19, the films will be screened, and awarded prizes, including best picture, best story and best cinematography.

Notably many of the entries are filmed and submitted by students here in Qatar, and one in particular – “Al-Hamali,” has already racked up more than 67,000 views.

The documentary film, created by Qatar Academy student and THIMUN Film Festival alum Amal Al-Muftah, interviews the porters about how they got into the work, and offers insight into their lives.

Another poignant film by Doha College students focuses on the life of laborers in Qatar:

Here’s the full playlist of 2014 submissions:

Thoughts?