Doha to Host the 1st of GCC Film Festival Next Thursday

Doha, February 21 (QNA) - HE Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari has reiterated that Doha will host the 1st GCC Film Festival kicking off next Thursday at Qatar National Theatre. HE stressed that such an event constitutes an important headway to Film Making in the Gulf Region. The Festival came to be hosted in Doha in the light of the agreements carried out during the meeting of Gulf ministers of Culture which took place in Abu Dhabi earlier last October. HE Dr. Al Kuwari further said in a press release held on the occasion of announcing the Festival s agenda here Tuesday morning, that the festival will run for seven days and will screen a selection of short and documentary films of the participating countries each of Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Sultanate of Oman. The festival is allocating awards for the best Film, Direction, Script, Cinematography, and Picture Editing as well as the best Actor. There will be a ceremony honoring the pioneers of filmmakers in Gulf area, HE said. Each of the participant Gulf countries will showcase a total of four films two of which are featuring films and two documentaries; that is the opening of the screening will start in the showcase of the four Qatari participating films. The screening will be followed by a discussion panel for the films with the Qatari directors, Dr. Al Kuwari added. He further said that the organizing committee had in consideration the importance of the Arab films' existence besides the Gulf ones. A number of Arab stars and artists in film making industry and prominent Arab critics have been invited, among them are; Egyptian Directors Khlaid Yusuf and Khairy Bishara, Egyptian Actor Nour Al Shereef, the Film Critic Khairya Al Bishlawi, and the Kuwaiti Actor Mohammad Al Mansour. HE Dr. Al Kuwari concluded by thanking their Excellencies, Gulf Ministers of Culture and the organizing committee for their infinite support to launch the 1st GCC film festival. (QNA)