Doha Film Festival to Showcase Gulf Cinema with Cinema Alkhaleej Program
Doha Film Festival 2026 to launch Cinema Alkhaleej programme featuring seven Gulf films from November 19-27.
The Doha Film Festival 2026 will present a programme highlighting Gulf cinema, featuring seven films from the region, Qatar's state news agency QNA reported on Sunday.
The Cinema Alkhaleej programme, running from November 19 to 27, showcases films representing the cultural heritage, evolving identities, and contemporary realities of the Gulf.
The programme includes feature films such as 'My Driver and I' by Ahd Kamel from Saudi Arabia, which won Best Feature Film at the 2025 Saudi Film Festival, and 'Soulala' by Hisham Fakih, also from Saudi Arabia, exploring themes of family bonds.
Short films in the programme include 'Clouds' by Muzna Almusafer from Oman, 'Dunya's Day' by Raed Alsemari from Saudi Arabia, 'Namoos' by Nada Jahed from the UAE, 'An Evening with Laila' by Haya Alghanim from Kuwait, and 'Salem Not Salem' by Omar Farooq from Bahrain.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of Doha Film Institute and Director of Doha Film Festival, said the programme reflects the festival's commitment to showcasing Gulf voices that represent the region's past, present, and future.
The Doha Film Festival continues to support filmmakers whose work promotes cultural understanding and highlights the diversity of Gulf narratives.
Background
The Doha Film Festival, established in 2009, has grown into a prominent platform for Arab and international cinema, fostering dialogue and cultural exchange.
The festival's focus on Gulf cinema underscores the region's rich cultural heritage and its rapidly evolving film industry, providing a unique opportunity for audiences to engage with local stories and perspectives.
