(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Twenty-one projects from 24 countries have been selected for Doha Film Institute's (DFI) grants for the Fall 2014 session.
Nine narrative feature films, eight feature documentaries and four short films (three narrative and one experimental) will receive funding for development, production or post-production.
They include two projects by Qatar-based filmmakers - Nora Al Subai's Opening Doors, a true story of Amna Mahmoud, a courageous Qatari teacher who opened the first school for girls in Qatar in 1957, and Karem Kamel's Light Sounds about an unlikely duo of Sri-Lankan immigrants who work as cleaners in a washroom neighbouring a mosque.
Eleven projects are from the Middle East North Africa (Mena) region, eight from the OECD's Development Assistance Committee list of countries (DAC) and two from the rest of the world.
For the first time, filmmakers from Italy, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and the US, will receive grants.
The Fall session is the ninth round of grants to support new cinematic talent, with a focus on first and second-time filmmakers.
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO, DFI, said: "I am pleased that two of the projects chosen for our international grants are from Qatar, highlighting our commitment to nurture local filmmakers.
"We believe in providing tangible support to talent in Qatar through our grants and the newly formed Qatari Film Fund which opens for applications later this month.
"The beneficiaries represent some powerful new voices in cinema today. The cultural diversity among the projects is inspiring as is the fact that again we are seeing so many strong female-driven projects. It is encouraging to welcome some of our beneficiary alumni returning with new projects."
Among the projects, three are from Tunisia € Walid Mattar's narrative feature Northern Wind, Claire Belhassine's feature documentary The Man Behind The Microphone and second-time beneficiary Kaouther Ben Hania's documentary Zaineb Hates the Snow.
Several projects on conflicts in Mena are also among the beneficiaries, including Dégradé, the debut feature from twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Abunasser; In the Future, They Ate from the Finest Porcelain by Larissa Sansour and To All Naked Men by Bassam Chekhes.
Twelve projects are directed by women, including Deniz Erguven's Mustang, Anahita Ghazvinizadeh's They, Nour Wazzi's family drama The Trophy and Scales by Saudi director Shahad Ameen.
In the documentary category, seven beneficiaries are women, including Marie-Clemence Andriamonta Paes' Madagascar 1947, The Sound Of Silence; Jewel Maranan's Tondo, Beloved and Maryam Ebrahimi's The Confiscated Images.
Tamara Stepanyan has received a grant for the third time, making her the first third-time beneficiary for her feature documentary Limbo.
Four of beneficiary alumni are showing their films at the 65th Berlinale which opens tomorrow.
They include David Yon's The Night and The Kid (Fall 2012 beneficiary), Michel Zongo's The Siren of Faso Fani (Fall 2013), Ghassan Salhab's The Valley (Fall 2012) and Out on the Streets (Spring 2013) by Jasmina Metwaly and Philip Rizk.
Submissions for the current grants are now open and close on February 15.
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