Doha Film Festival announces shortlist for 2026 International Feature Film Competition

The Doha Film Festival (DFF) has announced the lineup for the 2026 International Feature Film Competition, highlighting bold and distinctive voices from diverse regions. Eleven of the fifteen participating films received support through DFF's Grants programme, while seven were directed by women. DFF CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi emphasized the festival's commitment to supporting underrepresented regions and independent cinema, stating that cinema has the power to create connections across borders.

The competition, which will take place from November 19-27, invites narrative and documentary features for their Middle East and North Africa premieres, with a jury recognizing five award categories, including the Best Narrative Award and Best Documentary Award, each with substantial prize money. The festival aims to honor original storytelling and important voices in film, bringing together filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals from around the world.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Peninsula Qatar's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.