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FILM IN QATAR
If 2009 served as an introduction to film in Qatar, 2010 was its coming out party.
!"#$%&#'#(%)%*+% #,- %./0/12# two small roles for the film’s Qatar-shot scenes. During the pound gorilla of film in Qatar: the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
auditions, casting director Ahmed al-Attar urged Mr. Ibrahim, trilogy. Alnoor is producing three films based on the life of the
who was there working for DFI, to read for the part of the progenitor of Islam at a total cost of $150m. The subject has

A
s recently as a few years ago a feature film had
never been made in Qatar, and the country hosted aide-de-camp. It was his first film audition, yet he gave the a built-in audience of more than a billion Muslims around
no film funds or production firms. Now, after two strongest delivery. the world.
editions of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival and the Mr Ibrahim is now set to make his screen debut in a $55 But the project is no walk in the park. The Prophet’s (PBUH)
rise of the Doha Film Institute, Qataris are writing, producing million feature film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and life story is complicated and disputed. The subject matter is
and directing award-winning films, Doha-based firms are starring Antonia Banderas, Freida Pinto and Mark Strong. “I sensitive and, for religious reasons, the protagonist cannot
financing major productions and big budget international don’t want to sound greedy,” he said, “but I can’t wait to learn be shown on screen. A film about the origins of Islam has
features are choosing to shoot here. from how Jean-Jacques Annaud deals been tried once before, with 1977’s “The Message”, starring
“When like-minded people come with actors.” Anthony Quinn. That production generated considerable
together and come up with ideas, suddenly DFI deals with actors as well as all controversy yet was ultimately well-received. Today however
they start to generate work and create a variety of film-related efforts in Qatar: it seems dated and stiff.
sense of ‘we can actually go somewhere,’” developing local film-making talent with Alnoor executives want their films to be the definitive screen
two-time Oscar-winning actor Kevin the 10-minute films; sponsoring joint versions of the Prophet’s (PBUH) life, and more entertaining
Spacey said during an actors’ workshop productions like “Black Gold”; shooting than preachy. The release of the first in the trilogy, slated for
on the sidelines of the 2nd Doha Tribeca various events around Qatar; and helping early 2012, is likely to do for tens of millions of moviegoers
festival last October. “I think things like launch a scriptwriting training program what 2010 did for the region’s entertainment professionals:
this suddenly put a place on the map, and in conjunction with Mira Nair’s Maisha irrevocably link Qatar and film.
make the idea of going into the creative Film Lab.
industries a reality.” “They are the first country in the Arab
That idea is definitely stirring in Qatar.
Born and raised in Doha, Ahmed Al-Baker
had long been interested in film but had
world to have so efficiently launched a
film festival and film institute with a focus
on building up its local infrastructure and
partnering on films about the Arab and
FOLLOW THE BAND
no way to get his foot in the door. Instead, *+%3!"#4#.#21"3-%(#5#263#(%#'% '77
the 23-year-old studied engineering and Islamic worlds as well as those with an Imagine the richest country on the Africa continent in terms
took a job in the energy sector, like so international appeal,” Tarak Ben Ammar of mineral resources. Then imagine that same country without
many Khaleejis (Persian Gulf natives) says of Qatar. a ruling government. Unfortunately for the citizens of The
DFI also provided funding to Lebanese Democratic Republic
before him. Ahmed Al Baker
director Mahmoud Kaabour for his of Congo, this isn’t an
Then along came the inaugural Doha imaginary scenario but
Tribeca Film Festival. “I started thinking to documentary feature “Grandma, A
the state of affairs in
myself, since film is here people are going to help me if I do Thousand Times.” The film won the
their country which is
anything,” he said. “I quit my job and started working on film audience award for best feature at the 2010 Doha Tribeca. roughly seven times
and doors have been opening since that day.” When “Black Gold” shoots its Qatar scenes this month, DFI the size of France. In
Al-Baker bought a camera and started shooting whatever, crew and film students will shadow the production, to gain the Eastern part of the
wherever, and working on a sci-fi action script he’d been experience on the set of a big budget action adventure. country an estimated
working on in his spare time. By early 2010 he’d garnered “We are doing a million things but they are all linked and 5 million people were
they all have to grow at the same time,” said Amanda Palmer, killed during ethnic
funding for “The Package, Volume 1”, from a new Qatari
DFI’s executive director. “With DFI it feels like the community conflict in 1994.
production house and US-based Speed of Life Studios. (He’s But this is not the
not disclosing budget or Qatari backer.) has an organization that belongs to them and if they want to
bleak story that viewers
With his friend Mohammed Abdul Rahman serving as co- build a film industry and culture here they can be a part of
will experience in
director, Al-Baker shot his film in Qatar last summer. He that.” the independent film
screened a 1-minute teaser during Doha Tribeca and received But DFI is merely the vanguard of a budding film movement. “Benda Billili”. Rather
an overwhelmingly positive response. The film is set to hit Doha-based advertising firm Adabisc recently produced the it’s the story of triumph
Qatari theaters this spring; Al-Baker hopes to expand across short film “Flu,” a quirky, 30-minute dark comedy starring and dignity as the world’s first all handicapped band takes to
the region. Khaled Taja and Rana Shmayes. The film won Best Arab Short the international stage. The film covers the journey of Staff-
Benda Billili who are a Congo based group of musicians all
In a country with half the population under
afflicted by polio and wheelchair bound. The group is led by
25, he’s not the only visionary. “A lot of young Ricky Lickabu whose indomitable passion to make a record to
Qataris are excited about this. Film is coming sell in Europe provides the group and film’s backbone. The rest
up in Doha,” said Al-Baker. “It’s getting crazy of his band is wheelchair bound in specially designed vehicles
here and I love it.” that look like adult tricycles. That is except for their charismatic
Mohammed Al-Ibrahim may be at the center youngest member, Roger Landu, who can not only walk but
of that craziness. pries the most unlikely sounds out of a can wrapped with one
For the inaugural DTFF the organizers helped string which serves as his only instrument .
eight young locals, including Mr Ibrahim, The film wasn’t even first intended as a film, as director
Renaud Barret, explains, but rather the result of a “musical
make 1-minute films as a way to showcase
crush” on the band who he first heard playing when traveling
local filmmaking talent. For the 2010 event, to Congo to take photographs of the conflict near the border.
festival organizer Doha Film Institute helped This was clearly a personal journey not only for the band but
those same filmmakers make 10-minute shorts, for the film maker as well who describes the journey of six
setting up a series of workshops with well- years as an “irrational, crazy” compulsion during which they
known talents like Scandar Copti, the Oscar- gave up five times.
nominated director of Ajami, and Shekhar “You only meet these people once in a lifetime,” Barret
Kapur. asserts, as he had no directing or production experience, but
Those shorts screened during the festival, only the heart to tell the story of Ricky’s audacious dreams
Chairman of Al Noor Holding, Ahmed Al Heshemi
for him band. Through the course of the film, we see street
included Mr Ibrahim’s “Land of Pearls,” in
kids, thugs, muggers, come into contact with Staff-Benda Billili
which a young boy learns a life lesson from including a heart wrenching moment when their corrugated
an old pearl diving story. “Every time I see it I see a new Film at the Jordanian Film Festival in November.
huts that are their homes catch on fire. But they persevere as
fault or mistake,” he said. “It’s a learning experience, not a In December, a subsidiary of Qatar Holding, the investment
only those who have no other option can, sharing what they
competition.” arm of the country’s $85b sovereign wealth fund, led the earn and continuing to write tunes that are inspired by what
But Mr Ibrahim did compete for one of two roles in “Black purchase of Disney’s Miramax films, along with Hollywood they experience on the street in their daily lives.
Gold”, a joint production from DFI and veteran Tunisian financier Thomas J Barrack Jr and Colony Capital. Little is The audience is as overjoyed as they are when the dream of
producer Tarak Ben Ammar’s Quinta Communications, which known about their plans for the niche studio, which has an going to Europe is realized in 2004 as they tour the world and
produced “Outside the Law” and Julian Schnabel’s “Miral”. The extensive and much-honored catalogue of films, such as play to sold out festivals all over Europe and even in Japan.
“Shakespeare in Love” and “Chicago”. “We were resolved to follow the band no matter what,”
film, which began shooting in Tunisia last fall, tells the story
Finally there’s the $200m Alnoor Film Fund, which is part of Barret says, explaining that the film was financed with the
of the search for oil in the Arabian desert, based on Hans R. donations of their family and friends. “Failure was not an
Ruesch’s “South of the Heart.” the media unit of Qatar conglomerate the Al-Hashemi Group
option. This was a matter of heart and time.”
It is the third adaption of a Ruesch novel, after 1955’s “The and the largest private film fund in the Arab region. Alnoor
Perhaps this was the most fitting director and team to have
Racers,” starring Kirk Douglas, and Nicholas Ray’s 1961 Inuit recently announced a deal with Turkey’s Calinos Holdings working on this film because Barret’s passion is only eclipsed
film, “Top of the World.” The “Black Gold” shoot is scheduled to produce a $50m feature film and a $25m TV series about by that of the musicians whose story he brings home to the
to move to Mesaieed in south Qatar in January, looking the 15th century Ottoman sultan Mehmet II – the largest ever viewers.
towards a Christmas release. collaboration between Arab and Turkish media firms.
Last October, the producers held a Doha casting call for Alnoor, founded in late 2009, is also in charge of the 900-

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