Amazing Outdoor Movies – For Free!
The four-day Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF), kicking off tomorrow, will offer the public eight chances to see movies under the stars – for free.
The screenings will take place each night of DTFF at a variety of venues, including the Souq Waqif, the beach at the Four Seasons, and the grounds of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
The Souq Waqif is to be transformed into an outdoor cinema for a special screening of the Egyptian classic, The Mummy (Al-Momia), recently restored by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation.
The film was restored with the support of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The World Cinema Foundation is sponsored by Qatar Airways, Qatar Museums Authority, Cartier and Armani.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer the community not one, not two, but eight opportunities to see amazing films for free,” DTFF’s executive director Amanda Palmer said.
“We are especially honoured to be screening The Mummy, not only as a piece of cinematic history, but also as a way to acknowledge Qatar’s key role in the restoration of the film, which ensures it lives on for future generations,” she said.
Tomorrow, as part of its opening night festivities, DTFF will host a special screening of Amelia, a new film by acclaimed director Mira Nair at 7.45pm on the grounds of the MIA.
On Friday, two family-friendly films will screen at the MIA, beginning with the world premiere of the inspirational animated film, Assila, at 6pm, followed by the Middle Eastern premiere of a heart warming tale – Turtle: An Incredible Journey at 9pm.
Film-lovers can also go to the Four Seasons beach to enjoy a free, outdoor screening at 7pm of Captain Abu Raed, a story about friendship, inspiration and heroism set in contemporary Jordan.
On Saturday there is a trio of free screenings at DTFF. At 7pm the Souq Waqif will provide a dramatic backdrop for the Qatar premiere of The Mummy.
This acclaimed Egyptian film was directed by one of Egypt’s most influential film-makers, Shadi Abdel Salam. Based on the true story of the Horabat tribe, an upper-class Egyptian clan that robbed a tomb of Pharaohs to sell the artifacts on the black market, the film is in Arabic with English subtitles.
To stage the screening, DTFF constructed a 16m by 12m screen on the grounds of Souq Waqif. Prior to the start of the film, the Manu Laude Dancers will entertain the crowds with exotic fire dancing displays.
First made in 1969, the World Cinema Foundation restored The Mummy in 2008 using the original sound and camera negative preserved by the Egyptian Film Centre.
That same evening, Four Seasons beach will host a duo of moving films by Mira Nair. Both films centre around the themes of love and families. Monsoon Wedding will screen at 7pm and be followed by The Namesake at 9pm.
On Sunday, the final night of DTFF – there will be a free, open-air screening of a surprise, top-secret film on the grounds of the MIA.
Seating is first come first served, with priority given to DTFF badge holders. To RSVP, or for details on purchasing a Blue Badge.
There will be no parking at the MIA during the festival. Visitors are encouraged to park at the Civil Defence roundabout and take the free shuttle to and from the museum.
The shuttle will run every 15 minutes throughout DTFF. The shuttle’s working hours are: Thursday: 3.45pm – 12.30am, Friday: 12.45pm-11pm, and Sunday: 8.45am-midnight.
For parking at the Souq Waqif on Saturday, the shuttle will run only to and from the Souq from 6.30pm to midnight.
Visitors may park in the regular car park or take the free shuttle from Civil Defence roundabout. Beach chairs will be set up in the lot off of Grand Hamad Street between the Souq and the Corniche.
Visitors may bring their own chair or blanket. All seating at the outdoor movies is on a first-come-first-served basis.
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