Cinema Meets Sound at Doha Film Festival’s Vibrant Music Programme

Doha, Qatar; September 28, 2025: Doha Film Institute (DFI) today announced a dynamic new music programme at Doha Film Festival (DFF), designed to create a powerful intersection between film, music, and cultural exchange with performances by emerging and established names from the region and beyond. This year’s line-up is led by an electrifying performance from Saint Levant, the global Palestinian artist whose unique fusion of languages and genres has captivated audiences worldwide.
The programme builds on DFI’s vision of cinema as an expansive art form where music is both a storytelling force and a cultural bridge. The initiative underscores Qatar’s global role as a cultural hub where artists from different traditions and practices come together to share experiences of resonance and meaning.
Presented through three distinctive strands, Roots, Headliners and Scoring, the programme will take audiences on an immersive journey through the richness of sound, deepening appreciation for its form and integral place within storytelling.
Roots spotlights emerging voices from the region and beyond, offering a stage for talent that reflect the energy and creativity of the world’s contemporary music scene; Headliners will feature acclaimed regional and international artists whose work has captured the imagination of audiences worldwide through live performances that transcend borders; and Scoring will explore the intersection of film and music highlighting the transformative role of composition in cinema through live performances that bring iconic scores to life.
Commenting on the announcement, Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer of Doha Film Institute, said: “Our mission at DFI has always been to foster dialogue, creativity, and understanding through the arts. Film and music are equal forces of expression with the ability to move, inspire, and transcend barriers. Our music programme celebrates the profound link between these art forms, offering audiences shared experiences that strengthen community bonds. Welcoming Saint Levant as a headline act is especially meaningful, as his music embodies the spirit of our mission to foster cultural dialogue through genuine connection. By uniting emerging and established artists from the region and beyond, we affirm our belief that creativity in all its forms can connect us all, regardless of background or geography.”

Palestinian singer-songwriter and rapper Marwan Abdelhamid, known as Saint Levant, has become one of the most compelling new voices in global music. His multilingual fusion of Arabic, English, and French lyrics creates a sound that merges rap, R&B, and Middle Eastern traditions. Saint Levant has emerged as a bold new voice of his generation, using music as both personal expression and cultural connector. His deeply personal lyrics and genre-defying artistry have earned him a dedicated international following, and his performance at Doha Film Festival will showcase rhythm, identity, and storytelling at their most powerful.
The programme presents a curated mix of voices that span cultures, genres, and generations. Emerging artists from Qatar and the wider Arab world will share the stage with established regional and international performers whose work has helped define contemporary music. The result is a line-up that reflects the festival’s mission of cultural exchange and unity, while offering audiences the chance to encounter diverse art forms.
The programme will run in parallel with screenings, talks and cultural activities, ensuring audiences engage with the arts in their most expansive and collaborative form.
Taking place from 20–28 November 2025, Doha Film Festival (DFF) represents the bold next chapter in Doha Film Institute’s mission to nurture regional talent and champion urgent and authentic stories in cinema. The festival will transform iconic locations across Doha, including Katara Cultural Village, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and the Museum of Islamic Art, into vibrant hubs of cultural exchange, bringing together filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences from every corner of the globe, to reaffirm art’s power to heal, to unite, and to spotlight voices that deepen our shared understanding.

Designed to reflect the diversity and ambition of the region through a wide selection of films, inspiring conversations and engaging events, DFF will provide a truly meaningful shared cultural experience in Doha. For more information, visit www.dohafilm.com.