The 8th Ajyal Film Festival organised by the Doha Film Institute (DFI) and held this year following an ‘adapted’ format, celebrates youth development through inspiring discussions with renowned personalities in film, arts and humanities.

As part of the festival’s mission to inspire the next generation to think creatively as agents of positive change, the Ajyal 2020 jury had the opportunity to interact with international arts and culture visionary, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of DFI and Qatar Museums.

HE Sheikha Al Mayassa inspired jurors with her efforts to make Qatar a leading global cultural destination, and how arts and culture made an impact in national development.

In her interaction with the jurors, HE reiterated the central message of her 2012 TED talk on ‘globalising the local and localising the global’, highlighting the importance of staying true to one’s passions, history and culture. She encouraged the youth to experiment and learn across disciplines to forge their own identity as artists and problem-solvers of tomorrow.

DFI CEO and Festival Director Fatma Hassan Alremaihi said they are very fortunate to provide the Ajyal 2020 jury the opportunity to engage with international arts and culture visionary. In sharing their insights with the next generation of young creative leaders, she said that these guests help further DFI’s  mission to empower the youth.

Special guests from various artistic and cultural fields to share their expertise at this year’s festival include:

  • American actor and comedian Zach Woods, known for his regular appearances in The Office and Silicon Valley
  • Indian actor and humanitarian Kunal Kapoor
  • Croatian actor Goran Bogdan, who appeared in several American and English films, and in the popular series Fargo
  • Canadian actress Saara Chaudry, winner of the ACTRA Award for Best Voice Performance in The Breadwinner
  • Claudio Gubitosi, founder and director of the Giffoni Film Festival

Tickets for the 8th Ajyal Film Festival, happening on 18 to 23 November, are now available online. For more information, visit the DFI website at dohafilminstitute.com. 

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