(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A total of 161 films from 60 countries will vie for honours at the 10th annual Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival (AJIDFF) from October 23 to 26 at The Ritz-Carlton Doha.
The participating films include 34 long, 51 medium, 45 short and 31 new horizon films. They were chosen from among 910 films submitted from110 countries.
Festival Director Abbas Arnaout said festival-goers would expect to see quality films which have met the high standards of the festival and distinguished itself in the past decade.
"They should expect the same standard. That's very important. And we try to live up to it. We have good films and that's what we offer people and I hope they would enjoy them," Festival Director Abbas Arnaout told The Peninsula yesterday.
Arnaout said Qatar is also well represented by a number of good films at this year's festival.
Eight countries are taking part at the festival for the first time including Georgia, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, El Salvador, Rwanda, Uzbekistan, Macedonia and Eritrea. Organised under the patronage of Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, Chairman of Al Jazeera Media Network Board, the 10th edition of the festival carries the theme 'Steps.'
"The theme is really more for us, to say to ourselves that the steps we have passed in the ten editions (of the festival) are not enough and that we have to look forward to the future," said Arnaout.
A total of QR600,000 will be given to the winners of various awards. Films from Long, Medium and Short categories will be chosen to receive major awards including the Al Jazeera Golden Award and Jury Award as well as special awards including Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Award, Public Liberties an Human Rights Award, and Child and Family Award.
Top three winners will be selected among the films made by amateur and student filmmakers for the New Horizon Award. On its 10th edition, AJIDFF is introducing two fresh awards including the Best Director Award and Best Camerawork Award to be given in the three categories.
The competing films will be viewed and evaluated by a 15-member panel of judges from Arab and non-Arab countries including Iran, Spain, Jordan, Germany, United States of America, Greece, Italy, China, Ireland, Qatar, Poland, Norway, Morocco and Turkey.
The number of screening venues has been increased this year to allow more films to be shown.
"We have five halls for screening films which is an excellent number compared last year," said Arnaout. In addition to screenings which are free to the public, there will be seminars and workshops such as 'Arabic Media' organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage and 'Managing Businesses and Commercial Affairs' presented by Al Jazeera Media Network. An exhibition featuring production companies and institutes, TV stations, publishing companies and artists will run alongside the various festival activities.
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