Giffoni Experience Director Claudio Gubitosi, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage HE Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz al-Kuwari and Giffoni Experience President, Pietro Rinaldi with young jury members from Qatar at the Giffoni Film Festival.

Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage HE Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz al-Kuwari, Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma al-Remaihi and a group of six young film enthusiasts from Qatar wrapped up their participation at the 45th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival earlier this week, the largest children’s film festival in Europe.
Marking the fifth year of partnership and cultural exchange between the Doha Film Institute and Giffoni, six young representatives from Qatar were chosen to join the Giffoni Film Festival Jury where 3,600 young people from 45 countries participate in a dynamic programme of screenings and activities and deliberate on the winners of the 45th edition of the film festival held in Italy.
HE Dr al-Kuwari praised the opportunities for cultural exchange presented by the partnership which included a special screening of ‘Made in Qatar’ films presented as part of Giffoni’s official programme, furthering the Institute’s efforts to promote the creative achievements of filmmakers from Qatar worldwide.
The Doha Film Institute’s presence at the event also included co-hosting the Giffoni Doha Youth Summit – a gathering of representatives from the world’s leading film festivals and cinematic organisations for young people to discuss their shared experiences and spearhead an action plan for future collaboration.
The summit takes place twice a year alternating between meetings at Doha’s Ajyal Youth Film Festival and Italy’s Giffoni Experience.
In her opening address to summit delegates, Fatma al-Remaihi said: “Through cinema, and the programmes we share through our diverse organisations, we enable young people to discuss their ideas, experience films that inspire them, make them laugh or cry, and sometimes, even change the way they see the world.
“We come together here at the Giffoni Doha Youth Summit to discuss this shared responsibility to our youth and how we can best work together to continue to enrich the lives of young people through film.”
The third edition of the Ajyal Youth Film Festival will be held in Doha from November 29 to December 5, 2015. Youth participation is at the heart of the Festival and its jury programme which provides young people between the ages of 8 and 21 with an opportunity to watch, analyse and discuss films from all over the world, developing critical thinking, self-expression, and an appreciation of cinema. Registration for the 2015 Ajyal Jury will commence in September.
Doha Film Institute is an independent, not-for-profit cultural organisation. It supports the growth of the local film community through cultivating film appreciation, enhancing industry knowledge and contributing to the development of sustainable creative industries in Qatar. The Institute’s platforms include funding and production of local, regional and international films; skills-sharing and mentorship programmes; film screenings; the Ajyal Youth Film Festival; and Qumra.