FIPRESCI establishes jury at Doha Film Festival

The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and Doha Film Institute (DFI) have partnered to bring a FIPRESCI jury to the upcoming Doha Film Festival, scheduled for November 19-27, 2026. This collaboration highlights two organizations dedicated to using cinema as a means for cultural exchange, discovery, and critical discussion.

DFF, built on DFI's 15-year commitment to authentic storytelling, serves as a dynamic platform for world cinema, fostering dialogue, reflection, and connection among global audiences. The festival showcases an international program featuring four main competition strands: International Feature Film Competition, International Short Film Competition, Ajyal Film Competition, and Made in Qatar Competition.

These competitions highlight unique cinematic voices, emerging talent, and narratives that provide fresh perspectives on our rapidly changing world. Complementing the competition program is an extensive out-of-competition selection and public program, encompassing gala screenings, talks, panels, family screenings, and community events, offering ample opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to engage beyond the screen.

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of DFI and Director of Doha Film Festival, emphasized that independent cinema benefits from bold filmmakers expressing their stories and critics championing, questioning, and preserving those voices. Film criticism plays a crucial role in keeping independent cinema vibrant, ensuring films are not only seen but also understood and discussed.

Alremaihi expressed delight at welcoming FIPRESCI to Doha, aiming to create a space for cross-cultural engagement and the discovery of new voices, thereby enriching the global conversation around cinema. For FIPRESCI, this partnership represents a significant expansion of its international network and its commitment to fostering meaningful interactions between critics, filmmakers, festivals, and audiences across various cultural and geographical contexts.

FIPRESCI President Ahmed Shawky stated that this exchange is essential in a world where dynamic developments in contemporary cinema are emerging beyond traditional centers. The FIPRESCI DFF Jury, consisting of three film critics, will evaluate films in the International Feature Film Competition and award the FIPRESCI Prize to the film deemed the most significant achievement in the competition. Further details regarding the jury's composition and selection will be announced later.