This program highlights work created by 6 filmmakers on the rise. All the films in this program were produced in the last 5 years in a number of different countries and they range vastly in style and genre. The one thing they have in common is that they were all created by amazing filmmakers to watch! This program was made possible with the assistance of the <a href="https://www.dohafilminstitute.com/" target="_blank">Doha Film Institute</a>. <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/e711de3e6529c35db2120788502e4556.jpg" width="201" style="display: block; margin: auto;">

Set in a dystopian dollhouse, Jameela, a friendly little girl wants nothing more than to fit in with the other girls in the house. As she doesn't look like all of the carbon-copied girls, she is rejected by them. That's when she meets odd Yasmine and ultimately, must choose between true friendship and being outcasted or fake friendships and fitting in. About the Filmmaker: <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/1bc37b6be295c1202ecd3f36df9c7c7a.jpg" width="139" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">A Palestinian multimedia&nbsp;storyteller and&nbsp;immersive filmmaker with a strong eye for design, Mayar Hamdan has worked on a variety of projects, ranging from video games to films to video installations. Hamdan’s work is defined as the interdisciplinary exploration of migration, displacement, and feminist themes expressed through the canopy of&nbsp;color theory.&nbsp;She obtained a BS in Media Industries and Technology at Northwestern University and an MFA in Art and Technology at the California Institute of the Arts.&nbsp;Hamdan worked for multiple mobile gaming companies as an interactive game writer and animator in Barcelona, Spain. Additionally, she worked on the Doha Film Institute's Film Training and Development team. During that time, Hamdan directed, wrote, developed, and produced several&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mayarhamdan.com%2Ffilms&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=eyJXjuW%2FqDrTfqLG1br9imA916QTideYOCwGfMW7%2BwA%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">independent project</a>s, most notably&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmayarhamdan.com%2Fbeitbyoot&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Sz%2BEKJfma94VNT2AGAeQrdmNy4IvTUSC9pSodk798oY%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beit Byoot&nbsp;</a>(2019) which can be streamed on SundanceTV, and&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmayarhamdan.com%2Fdont-get-too-comfortable&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=NB1fBUpsYwdUuO52OifSGlPW4oIiJpRQ5Z08zV3CPBs%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Don't Get Too Comfortable</a>&nbsp;(2021) which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival.&nbsp;Hamdan is currently Lead Narrative Director at&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmayarhamdan.com%2Fwww.lunacystudios.com&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=p4A152FRqXMV8VtI4bJQRafjNedq5j6QdTB%2Finmj8Ns%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lunacy Studios</a>, an&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmayarhamdan.com%2Finstallations&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=n5hw%2FT2i6yr0grUX2tP%2BIwlKJ5Q4dyLVFRUxugkZbM0%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">independent new media producer</a>&nbsp;(Cinema, CR, AR, VR, XR &amp;UX),&nbsp;Creative Director of&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Ffilmmena%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=46fH0xw4Y7sPq%2Bb3LnXQmY%2Bp7NL58uktuaFrb4sLEY0%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FilmMena</a>, &amp; Northwestern University&nbsp;<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstudio20q.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc0863200998b44fd538108da23bb2bcb%7C76cd8a8b35584d699ffa2f5b7ebeec72%7C0%7C1%7C637861584120468831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=hmanubfuQWdOmBCKldFvkC%2BGK5QMpTGqd3cX%2BTuqNkY%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Studio20Q</a>’s Industry Advisor.

Beit Byoot

Jameela, a friendly little girl wants nothing more than to fit in with the other girls in the house.

A girl explores the forgotten memories of an abandoned cinema through a trancelike journey into its past, creating a freeform narrative all her own, and breathing new life into forgotten artifacts. About the filmmaker:﻿<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/314a930b54804886eef26dc376c2e5af.png" width="163" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; float: left;">Rawda Al-Thani is a film programmer and filmmaker. In her films, she aims to examine the rapidly changing urban landscape of Qatar and its effects on its people.

I Have Been Watching You All Along

A young woman is the embodiment of an abandoned cinema, watching and being watched all along.

Nour, a newly-arrived refugee seeks asylum in Australia, escaping persecution to live his life freely on safer lands. About the filmmaker: <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/4005de07cfeaf6784875a2fac5b0167c.jpg" width="129" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Sarah Ghassali is a 19-year-old Syrian-Australian filmmaker. As a person with lived experience, she wants to tell Nour's story with integrity, authenticity and justice. Her film is inspired by the bravery of her family, and the many men, women, and children, who seek asylum across the seas, every day.

La Tansouna (Don't Forget Us)

Nour, a newly-arrived refugee seeks asylum in Australia, escaping persecution to live his life freely on safer lands.

She unfolds the trauma of her sudden expulsion from the town she and all her ancestors grew up in. Holding onto a mere key to their home, she shares with us the pain of leaving her house for the last time, which she relates to her constant dreams of return. About the filmmaker: <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/a010a20e42c50801d99f10f3e0e46864.jpg" width="146" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Noor Al-Asswad is a budding Palestinian filmmaker whose works explore the multidirectional connections between memory, identity, loss, history, home, longing, land, and heritage. She was born and raised in Syria until she had to leave in 2012 due to the political turmoil. Her raw and earnest style invites the viewer to jump through time and perspective. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication in 2018, and Her previous works include 'Noah' (2018) and 'Samha' (2017).

Under the Lemon Tree

An exiled Palestinian woman sits under a lemon tree building her own Palestine in Qatar recalling her memories that take her backwards to her homeland

A poetic portrait of a blind father with a bright perspective on life, who is strongly determined to deliver his message to the world. About the filmmaker: <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/476c1c54bedc414d899da4d523e1f262.jpg" width="149" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Nada Jahed is a Jordanian Multimedia Designer based in the UAE whose work flows into two streams, creative and digital. She finds joy in film and photography as they bridge a transparent connection and build a thorough understanding towards the subjects, which shapes her own perception of the world in return. She aspires to continue to grow professionally and personally as she explores various mediums in search of new means to develop her skills.P.S. Nada is a serious animal lover and bookworm.

Luminary

A poetic portrait of a blind father with a bright perspective on life, who is strongly determined to deliver his message to the world.

Through a series of vignettes from the ancient and war-torn Levant, WILD IS THE SPRING captures moments in the lives of diverse ethnic communities who struggle to survive when life descends into chaos. About the filmmaker: <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/207643a91c3bbdf97e3b7c59997eed87.png" width="163" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Adla Massoud is a seasoned journalist, news producer and independent filmmaker specializing in international affairs and humanitarian crises. In her 28 years as a journalist, Adla reported and produced for international media outlets. As a filmmaker, Adla's interests lay in telling intimate and character-driven stories that illuminate events of larger social and geopolitical consequence. WILD IS THE SPRING (Premiere, Big Sky Documentary Film 2022) is Adla’s first short documentary.

Wild is the Spring

Vignettes of the lives of diverse ethnic communities who struggle to survive when life descends into chaos.

Rising Arab Women in Film

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