Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute (DFI), spoke out against the attack by Israeli settlers on and arrest by Israeli police of Hamda
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute (DFI), spoke out against the attack by Israeli settlers on and arrest by Israeli police of Hamdan Ballal, co-director of Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.
“The recent attack on Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal proves that even winning the most prestigious award, an Oscar, does not offer any safety from violent oppression by the occupation,” said Al Remaihi, speaking at the opening of the 2025 edition of the DFI’s Qumra lab. Ballal was released the day after his arrest.
Remarking that this year marks the 15th anniversary of DFI, Al Remaihi said, “We find ourselves at a intricate crossroads where the world is witnessing continuing genocide.
“The promise of peace and ceasefire are merely cover stories for the continued dehumanisation and attempts to erase voices from the region.
“In a world where many prominent cultural events and institutions have chosen silence over solidarity, and protesting voices face marginalisation, we must stand firm,” continued the CEO. “It’s our duty as storytellers and as ambassadors for humanity – it’s as simple as that.”
This year’s Qumra got underway with a busy meet-and-greet event in the courtyard of Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art. Many attendees wore insignia in support of Palestine, including one in a Palestine football shirt.
Al Remaihi’s speech was followed by a tiny address from Palestinian filmmaker and DFI artistic advisor Elia Suleiman, who drew laughter from the crowd with a joke about Donald Trump’s recent global tariffs.
“All those young filmmakers who are here, they will discover soon that we are going to impose some tariffs on their dream images,” joked Suleiman.
“You cannot put boundaries, tariffs [on film],” continued the director in seriousness. “Cinema transgresses and crosses boundaries.”
Hanaa Issa, Qumra deputy director, welcomed the attending guests, noting that a record 55 countries are represented at the 2025 event, presenting 49 projects across fiction features, documentaries, shorts and series.
Attendees at the meet-and-greet included Qumra advisor Rithy Panh and Walter Salles, winner of the best international feature Oscar last month for I’m Still Here.
Projects at the 2025 lab include In Memory Of Times To Come, the debut feature of Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour; and Damien Ounouri and Adila Bendimerad’s The Joyful 1926, currently in development.
Salles kicks off the masterclass programme today (April 4), to be followed in the coming days by fellow Masters Lav Diaz, Anna Terrazas, Johnnie To and Darius Khondji.
Qumra runs through April 9.
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