Five Doha Film Institute Supported Films Selected for the 76th Berlin International Film Festival
- Selection includes films from Arab and International filmmakers that challenge convention and inspire dialogue
- The diversity of themes highlights Doha Film Institute’s sustained support for emerging and established voices from across the world
Doha, Qatar; February 2, 2026: Doha Film Institute (DFI) reaffirms its commitment to championing bold and distinctive voices in world cinema, with five Institute-supported films selected for the 76th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), taking place from February 12 to 22, 2026.
The selected films will screen across the prestigious Perspectives, Panorama, and Forum sections. Together, they reflect a wide spectrum of artistic approaches and thematic concerns, underscoring DFI’s role in nurturing films that combine creative ambition with global relevance.
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of DFI, said: “Having five supported films selected at this year’s festival is a powerful affirmation of our mission to champion courageous storytelling and amplify important voices from our region and beyond. These films speak to the complexity of our world with honesty and artistic integrity, reinforcing our belief in cinema’s ability to question, connect and reframe how we see the world.”
DFI supported films at the 76th Berlinale are:
Perspectives:
Chronicles from the Siege (Palestine/Algeria/France/Qatar/World Premiere) by Abdallah Alkhatib charts how the lives of a group of ordinary people are turned upside down, when their city is placed under siege, forcing each of them to confront impossible choices in pursuit of what they believe is survival in a war zone.
Filipiñana (Singapore/UK/Philippines/France/Netherlands/European Premiere) by Rafael Manuel is about Isabel, who is strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, president of the country club where she works. As she pieces together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club’s pristine surfaces, she realises that they are both connected by a sinister shared history.
Panorama:
Only Rebels Win (France/Lebanon/Qatar/World Premiere) by Danielle Arbid is about Suzanne and Osmane, who meet in crisis-ridden Beirut. Osmane is a young Sudanese man without papers, searching for a better future; Suzanne is a widow with Palestinian roots more than twice his age. Against all odds, they fall in love.
Safe Exit (Egypt/Libya/Tunisia/Germany/Qatar/World Premiere) by Mohammed Hammad is a psychological thriller following Samaan, a young security guard who, like many of his generation, is struggling with trauma.
Forum:
The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripoli (Lebanon/KSA/Qatar/World Premiere) by Rania Rafel is an act of political tenderness, about a city and its uprisings. From the 1940s into the present, the director follows Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-biggest city, over the years, moving through different generations and factions.
The strong presence of Institute supported films at the 76th Berlinale underscores DFI’s vital role as a consistent and trusted partner to leading international festivals. Through sustained, long-term support for filmmakers from the Arab world and beyond, DFI continues to enable stories that resonate globally, spark dialogue, and shape contemporary film culture.
