(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Doha: The 9th Ajyal Film Festival presented by the Doha Film Institute (DFI) announced the winners of the Ajyal Jury Competition and the Made in Qatar Awards in a festive closing ceremony at Katara Cultural Village.
Notable guests in attendance included H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of DFI and H E Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, member of DFI Board of Trustees, joined by Academy Award winning sound editor Mark Mangini, Olympic athlete and filmmaker Alexi Pappas, journalist and activist Muna El-Kurd, and acclaimed photographer Brigitte Lacombe.
In a speech, H E Sheikha Al-Mayassa said:“Ajyal Film Festival's significance stems from the concept of art as a language that unites people. It transcends borders and provides peaceful platforms for dialogue towards building a better society for all. Cinema is an art form of dynamic creative expression contributing to enhancing awareness and achieving harmony between communities – another reason why Ajyal is incredibly important. Art and culture is a catalyst to achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to promoting creativity and diversity, while preserving our identity and traditions in building a knowledge-based economy.”
Winners of the Made in Qatar Awards are Best Narrative Award: 'Olayan' by Khalifa Al Marri; Best Documentary Award: 'And Then They Burn The Sea' by Majid Al Remaihi; Abdulaziz Jassim Award for Performance Award: Saleh Salem Al Marri for 'Olayan'; and Special Jury Mention: 'Virtual Voice' by Suzannah Mirghani.
Meanwhile, the winners of the Ajyal Jury Competition Awards incldue under Mohaq category: Best Short Film Award: 'Umbrellas' by José Prats, Álvaro Robles; Best Feature Film Award: 'Poupelle of Chimney Town' by Yusuke Hirota. Under Hilal: Best Short Film Award: 'Olayan' by Khalifa Al Marri; Best Feature Film Award: 'Captains of Zaatari' by Ali El Arabi. And for Bader: Best Short Film Award: 'When Beirut Was Beirut' by Alessandra El Chanti; Best Feature Film Award: 'Little Palestine, Diary of a Siege' by Abdallah El Khattib. And the Audience Award was bagged by the film 'ORCA' by Sahar Mossayebi.
Made in Qatar Awards Jury include international personalities - actress Sheila Vand; Executive Board Member and CEO of Katara Studios Ahmed Al Baker, and Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Farah Nabulsi. Jurors were divided into three age categories: Mohaq (8–12 year old), Hilal (13–17 year old), and Bader (18–25 year old).
Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, DFI Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer thanked the Qatari leadership, government entities, private sector partners, sponsors, volunteers, filmmakers, the members of the jury and the community for their support to the success of the festival.“The enduring impact of Ajyal is fuelled by cinematic and visual art that plays a crucial role in bringing positive change to our societies.”
The week-long festival, held under the theme, 'Press Play!' signify the aspirations of the community to return to normalcy. It featured 85 films from 44 countries, including Qatar.
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