(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Five emerging filmmakers from Qatar are attending the 68th Cannes Film Festival, participating in workshops and meetings arranged by Doha Film Institute (DFI) to support them in furthering their careers.
Ali Al Ansari, Mohamed Al Mahmeed, Yousef Al Modhadi, Amal Al Muftah and Maryam Al Sahli were on the seventh day of their programme in Cannes and have so far participated in workshops, script development advisory sessions and one-on-one meetings in addition to attending screenings of latest discoveries in quality cinema from all over the world.
On development sessions attended by the group, Al Ansari said: "I feel I've gained a lot throughout the meetings that DFI has arranged for us. We have met producers, distributors, people from all areas of the film industry. I've learned a lot about the film market, things like selling and distribution and production.
"We have met script advisors and supervisors. They gave us good, productive feedback on our scripts, how to deal and work with our characters and how to start recruiting crew and producers - the whole process from A to B."
Al Modhadi, director of the short film 10% which won the Made in Qatar Award at Ajyal Youth Film Festival last December, said: "Being in the middle of one of the biggest film festivals in the world is a huge experience for me.
"It's a big business hub and has given me a good understanding of the scale of the business end of the industry which generates millions of dollars.
"I have learned a lot about how to look at not just the creative parts of filmmaking, but also the other end of sales and distribution and how to find an audience for your work."
Al Mahmeed discussed the importance of sharing stories from Qatar with the world in international forums such as Cannes.
"Qatar is very undiscovered, there are so many stories and things people don't know about our culture. It is our job as Qataris and filmmakers to show the world what we have to offer in terms of good, honest stories from Qatar."
As part of Qatar's presence in Cannes, DFI is presenting a special Made in Qatar showcase of short films at the Short Film Corner, a section of the festival showcasing films from over 90 countries to thousands of guests, festival selectors and short film industry specialists.
In addition to the five filmmakers supported by DFI, two young filmmakers from Northwestern University in Qatar - Menna Kamel and Jaser Ibrahim Alagha - are also attending the festival are their films are being screened in the Short Film Corner.
Five films supported by DFI' grants programme are making world premiere in sections, including Official Short Film Competition, Critics' Week sidebar, Un Certain Regard and Directors' Fortnight.
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