Doha Film Institute’s Ajyal Film Club to Represent the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture in Tangier

• Doha Film Institute collaborates with Nuwah Foundation and Tanjaflam, which operates Cinema Alcazar, on the youth-centred initiative
• Three-day Ajyal Film Club in Tangier to feature screenings, workshops, and masterclasses aimed at inspiring and engaging the next generation of filmmakers

Doha, Qatar; September 22, 2024: Doha Film Institute—in collaboration with Nuwah Foundation and Tanjaflam, which operates the renowned Cinema Alcazar—is proud to present a special edition of Ajyal Film Club in Tangier from September 20 -22, 2024. The initiative marks a significant contribution to the Qatar – Morocco 2024 Year of Culture, reinforcing the longstanding cultural ties between the two nations.

Inspired by the acclaimed Ajyal Film Festival, the Ajyal Film Club brings the spirit of youth-driven dialogue through cinema to new audiences. Led by Ajyal jurors, the programme shines a spotlight on pressing global issues, encouraging youth engagement through the transformative power of film. As part of the Doha Film Institute’s year-round initiatives, the Club fosters film education and appreciation, equipping young people with the tools to reflect more deeply about the world around them.

This special edition in Tangier invites young Moroccan film enthusiasts, aged 13-17, to immerse themselves in three days of screenings, workshops, and masterclasses led by industry experts. Two Ajyal jurors from Qatar will also host post-screening discussions to further enrich the experience.

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of Doha Film Institute, said: “We are excited to host this very special edition of Ajyal Film Club in Morocco to honour the strong relationship between both our countries. The Club has expanded the understanding of film among young people in Qatar, and we look forward to inspiring a similar love for meaningful cinema in Moroccan youth and encouraging them to pursue their creative aspirations and assume active roles within their communities by voicing their valuable ideas and opinions. Ajyal Film Club in Tangier is a celebration of the boundless creativity and potential of our youth. Through, the power of film, we aim to inspire young minds to share their stories, challenge perceptions and shape a future rooted in empathy, unity and peace.”

Sheikha Hala Alkhalifa, Chief Executive Officer of Nuwah Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to extend the reach of Nuwah Foundation to Tangier in partnership with Doha Film Institute and Tanjaflam. Cultural connections that spread light, knowledge, and spark creativity is at the essence of Nuwah Foundation’s philosophy. We are very proud to take part in this important edition of Ajyal Film Club in Morocco, and to see the collaboration with Tanjaflam take place. By fostering dialogue, creativity, and cultural exchange, we aim to empower the next generation of storytellers.  Through the art of film making, bridges have been established between Doha and Tangiers, celebrating creativity, youth, and the boundless strength of the cultural industries.”

Soad Rahmouni, President of Tanjaflam said, “”I am extremely delighted to welcome Ajyal Film Club to Tangier. I deeply value the pioneering collaboration between Doha Film Institute, Nuwah Foundation, and Tanjaflam. The Ajyal Film Club’s remarkable legacy is both inspiring and uplifting, and this partnership serves to further strengthen the bond between our two kindred nations. I am confident that this initiative marks the start of a fruitful and lasting cooperation that will greatly benefit the youth of both our countries.”

Ajyal Film Club in Tangier will open on Sept. 20 with We Have a Dream (2023) by acclaimed director Pascal Plisson. In this masterful documentary, Plisson met Maud (France), Charles (Kenya), Nirmala and Khendo (Nepal), Xavier (Rwanda) and Antonio (Brazil) – all extraordinary children who will prove that love, inclusive education, humour and courage can move mountains. The screening will be followed by a live Q&A session moderated by Sophia Bakri and Faisal Abu-Shawareb.

A film review and critique workshop will also be held for participants to gain critical thinking skills to dissect and evaluate a film’s cinematic techniques and thematic elements. In-depth exploration will help them understand the art and craft of filmmaking that contribute to shaping a film’s message and impact.

On Sept. 21, Ajyal Film Club will screen the animation feature film, Saleem (2023), directed by Cynthia Madanat Sharaiha. It is about 9-year-old Saleem, who is now displaced, and forced to start life all over again. He is tormented by memories of the past and when a mystical pigeon swoops into his life and uncovers what seems to be an old treasure map, Saleem finds himself on the path of a new adventure. The screening will be followed by a live Q&A session.

The ‘Women and Cinema: Our Story, Our Future’ masterclass by Khaoula Assebab Benomar is dedicated to empowering women in filmmaking, encouraging them to tell their own stories through the female lens. Participants will explore the rich history of women in cinema, from socio-cultural dynamics to the evolution of policy and advocacy. Benomar is the daughter of a pioneer in Moroccan television fiction and spent her earliest years on film sets. Her debut feature film, ‘Le Clair Obscur’, received numerous awards at film festivals worldwide.

Concluding the event on Sept. 22 will be Scrapper (2023), a vibrant and inventive father-daughter comedy by Charlotte Regan.  Georgie, a resourceful 12-year-old girl secretly lives alone in her flat in a working-class suburb of London following her mother’s death. Out of nowhere, her estranged father, Jason, arrives and forces her to confront reality. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session.

The final day will also feature a masterclass with Jilali Ferhati, moderated by Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, DFI CEO and Director of Ajyal Film Festival. Participants will gain valuable insights into story development, screenwriting, production, and distribution stages of the filmmaking process. Ferhati is an acclaimed actor, director, writer, and producer known for films such as ‘Poupées de Roseau’ (1982) and ‘The Beach of Lost Children’ (1991) who has received accolades at prestigious festivals in Cannes, Venice, and at the Biennale du Cinéma Arabe.