The Doha Film Institute has released 45 projects that will benefit from the latest grants, including upcoming features from acclaimed directors Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji and Cyril Aris.
Arab and international filmmakers from over 35 countries will receive support from DFI during the Spring 2025 grant cycle.
Included in recipients A sad and beautiful worldBeirut Set romance from Lebanese filmmaker Alice, known for its documentary Dance at the edge of a volcanoreceived a special mention when played in the 2023 competition at Karlovy.
Includes upcoming titles set for profit Madness and Honey Day The feature debut from UK-based Iraqi filmmaker Al Daraj Hanging Garden It premiered in Venice in 2023, winning Best Film in the Red Sea, and was a submission to Iraq’s Oscars. His latest actor focuses on actors who are facing execution for accidentally cursing Saddam Hussein on stage.
Moroccan filmmaker Meriem Benbalek Behind the palm tree and Those who want the rain must accept the mud He also received support from Lebanon’s Daniel Arvid.
“We’re pleased to announce that we’re a great place to go,” said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of DFI. “In an age characterized by conflict, displacement and uncertainty, these stories provide an urgently needed perspective and affirm the role of film as an appeal to witnesses, bridges and empathy.”
DFI 2025 Spring Grant Receiver
MENA – Functional Story – Development
Arab Apocalypse (MOR-FR-QAT) | Director. Sammy Sidali
On Mohamme Media, young fisherman Shimo watches two moons split. From now on, the world is divided into two parts. Those who are asleep and unable to wake up, and those who watch over them.
MENA – The Story of Functions – Production
Madness and Honey Day (Iraq-can-uk-jor-fr-qat) | Director. Ahmed Yasin al-Darazi
Facing an execution to accidentally curse President Saddam Hussein on stage, actor Salem pretends to be crazy. His biggest performance begins at the Baghdad hospital.
talk (tun-it-fr-qat) | Pain. Screws and Cushions
It follows a black Tunisian boy with progressive mutism who strives to regain his voice in a society that denies him. Tunisia in 2023 finds comfort in magic as 12-year-old Walid suffers from identity and discrimination amid the rising immigration crisis and xenophobia.
Sally & Amilla (QAT)dir. aj al-thani
In the relentless sand of Wadi Sakima, the Outlaw Bedouin Bandit couple stumbles on a mythical relic that holds the key to their survival, but wakes up capable of destroying them and their world.
MENA – Characteristic Story – Post-production
Round 13 (tun-cyp-qat) | Director. Muhammad Ali Nadi
Kamel is a former boxing champion, happily married to Samia and is deeply dedicated to her only son Sabrie. When Sabry is diagnosed with a malignant tumor, their lives improve.
A sad and beautiful world (leb-us-ger-saudi-qat) | Director. Cyril Alice
Set in Beirut for 30 years, this romance must decide whether a lover with two stars crossed will make a path to family and happiness despite the tragedy that destroys modern-day Lebanon.
Behind the palm tree (mor-fr-bel-qat) | Director. Meriem Benbalek
In Tangia, Maedy’s relationship with Selma shakes when she meets the wealthy French girl Marie. Attracted by her charming lifestyle, he ignores Selma and pretends not to see his choices catch up with him.
Arab (alg-fr-switz-saudi-bel-qat) | Director. Marek Benmile, Jack Fistch
Harone is an elderly man living in Oran, Algeria. He has an incredible secret. He claims to be the brother of the “Arab” character, the murdered character in Camus’ world-famous French book, The Stranger.
A safe exit (One-Libya-Tun-Qat) | Director. Mohamed Hamad
The young man suffers from severe PTSD after witnessing the murder of his father as a child. Ten years later he realized he was forced to hide the wanted one.
Once upon a time in Gaza (pal-fer-port-jor-qat) | Director. Arab Nasser, Tarzan Nasser
A young student and charismatic drug dealer gets dressed in a nasty game of nasty life, death and revenge when corrupt cops are interested in the operation.
Lonely people (alg -f -qat)|Director. Tariq Teguia
In the Sahara, a man riding a mission cross path for a smuggler, paleontologist, rescue mission. Under the eyes of drones, they enter the center of the desert, where good and bad geniuses meet.
Those who want the rain must accept the mud (leb-fr-qat) | Director. Daniel Arvid
Suzanne, a widow in the 60s, meets Osmane, a young undocumented migrant worker in Beirut one night. They fall in love immediately.
sa3oud wainah? (QAT)|Say. From Mohammed to Ibrahim
The magic trick is horribly wrong when two brothers try to recreate it a few years after they learn it from their father.
Nonmena – The Story of Functions – Post-production
Renoir (Japan-fr-aing-phil-not-id) | Director. Chaikawa
A poetic journey about resilience, the healing power of imagination, and traumatic families struggling with connections.
Variations of themes (s afr-qat) | Director. Jason Jacobs, Devon Delmer
The elderly goat pastor is a victim of a fraud that promises financial reparations against his father, who was never paid for his services in World War II. As she waits for money that never arrives, her family threatens to confuse her routine on her 80th birthday and strip her of the end of her independence.
Prophet (mozs afr-qat) | Director. Ranga
The kind pastor suffers from his faith as he fails to grow the congregation. In secret, he is looking for a solution. Things seem to go well until they don’t.
MENA – Special documentary – Development
Akaru (sea-qat)|Iron. Basma Rice
In Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, shepherds and skiers face the harsh reality of climate change. The former skier-turned director captures the harsh contrast of a snowless ski resort, revealing the impact on the land and its people.
Unstable (pal-bel-uk-qat) | Director. Samiode
Since October 7, an online movement has redefine the story of Israel and Palestinians and challenged the intentions of corporate and political interests to oppress truths using social media.
MENA – Special Documentary – Production
Pure madness (tun-fr-qat) | Director. There is an arrow
The filmmaker embarks on a personal journey to uncover the hidden story of her greadunel, who disappeared in France in the 1970s and was discovered in a mental hospital.
Tyrant’s Choreography (syr-fr-qat)
From 1970 to 2000, Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria with iron grips before handing over his son Bashar. The film explores how the administration meticulously crafted its image through controlled media and exposes the mechanisms of propaganda that maintained its rules.
A spiritual diary (mor-qat) | Director. rim
It follows the arrival of young girls’ age, documenting the impact of spiritual movements on Moroccan society.
Southern salt (tun-fr-bel) | Director. Rami Jabuy
In Gavez, a coastal oasis choked director. A chemical complex, the fishing house is torn between survival and escape. As the land and seas collapse, mothers and sons resist in their own way, holding on to the traces of their decline in their homes, memories and love.
MENA – Special Documentary – Post Production
Do you love me? (leb-fr-qat)|You. Therefore, Rana
Archive journey through Beirut, weaving Lebanese cinemas from the 1950s to the present, exploring the country’s spirit and its present state.
Hasan in Gaza (pal-lger-switz-fr-qat) | Director. Kamal Aljafari
Since 2001, three MinIDV tapes of Life in Gaza have been rediscovered, standing as evidence of places and times that no longer exist. What began as a search for former prison companions in 1989 was accompanied by an unexpected road trip from the north to the south of Gaza. director. Hasan, a local guide whose fate remains unknown.
The Bard (MOR-FR-QAT) | Director. Tara Hadid
Horse and men, dust and earth, saints and sinners. Between real and fiction, between sacred and prof of blasphemy, Bardi follows the patrol brotherhood of the jockeys in central Morocco.
Nonmena – Functional Documentary – Post Production
Memory (rus-fr-neth-qat) | Director. Vladrena Sandou
The film director, a survivor of the Chechnya war, studies her traumatic memories to transform beyond film.
The whispers of the wind (Iran-qat) | Manager. Mohammad Sadeq Esmaeili
Jamille, an eight-year-old Afghan girl, competes with her family to meet her father for the last time before being executed in Iran for drug smuggling fees.
Capture them young (India-ger-nor-den-qat) | Director. Pankaj Johar, Sunaina Kapoor
As India becomes more and more right, the schools in one of the most sacred cities begin to preach extreme idealism to an impressive young mind. Thatiarus, 11, chooses a liberal form of his religion, but Hari, 12, begins to believe in and accept Islamophobia.
MENA – TV Series – Development
- Like the wings of the breeze (one-qat) | Director. Sheriff
- Al Michelin (us-jor-qat) | Director. Abdul Rahman Sakul
- How Eastern was acquired (saudi-uk-mor-jor-qat) | Director. Hannah Halil
MENA – Web Series – Production
- Captain Shedde (one-qat) | Director. Ramy El Gabry
- Heritage of Light: Echo from the House of Wisdom (QAT)|Director. Maha al-nnaemi
Mena – Shorts – Story – Development
- Manufacturer: Bisht’s Journey (QAT)dir. Abdul Raman Almana
- White canvas inside (Layer)|That. Amna al-Binari
Mena – Shorts – Story – Production
- Goodbye Habibi (Pal-sus-qat) | Director. Mike Elserif
- Crying girl: Bulldozer! (pal-qat) | Director. Rami Arayan
- I’ll fly away from you all (one-qat) | Director. The same alaa
- Gaffre (leb-qat)|say. Tony Elle Ghazal
- Santa Carn (Bahrain-qat) | Director. Mariam Meer
- The final laugh (saudi-qat) | Director. nour al khadra
Mena – Shorts – Documentary – Production
- A hidden journey (sud-rwa-qat) | Director. Nura Adil Sriman
Mena – Shorts – Experiment/Essay – Development
- Support thread (Qat-uzbek) | Director. Fahad al-Attiya
Mena – Shorts – Experiment/Essay – Production
- Imagine me like a land of love (seadly)|Pain. Tana Farok
- Do that (egy-qat) | Director. Yumna Al-Rashi
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