By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter


The third edition of Ajyal Youth Film Festival, taking place from November 29 to December 5, will continue holding annual free outdoor screenings for visitors at Katara – the Cultural Village.
“By providing young people with access to international cinema, filmmakers from around the world and the space to discuss their ideas and develop critical thinking, Ajyal empowers the youngest members of our community and develops their understanding of the world around them,” festival director and Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma al-Remaihi said in a statement.
The festival’s Sony Cinema Under the Stars special outdoor screenings will include The General (rated PG), considered as one of the best action-adventure comedies of all time; Modern Times (PG), which features Charlie Chaplin performing his flawlessly timed slapstick antics; and Wreck-It Ralph (G), which tells the story of a video game character who was determined to prove he can be a good guy, too.
Landfill Harmonic, the story of the world-famous Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, will also be part of the outdoor screening while the On the Wing special cine-concert will feature animated films accompanied by live music.
Pianist Anthony Boulc’h and saxophonist Fanch Minous, whose compositions brilliantly reflect the complimentary nature of the shorts, will be performing at the concert.
Directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley, Landfill Harmonic tells the story of a youth orchestra that rose to fame from the Paraguayan town of Cateura – a garbage dump of the country’s capital.
The group made its mark in the world using musical instruments crafted from garbage materials.
Cine-concert, presented as part of the Bariq short film programme, is a special treat to young audiences to satisfy their excitement and curiosity.
This year’s programme features eight short films and will also include a special outdoor cine-concert at the Katara esplanade by the Festival Tout-Petits Cinéma from Paris.
Some of the films, which range from five to nine minutes, include Hop Frog, My Mom is an Airplane, I Want My Hat Back and On the Wing.
Dozens of films will also be screened and evaluated by a group of young jurors aged eight to 21 belonging to three sections by age group: Mohaq, Hilal and Bader.
Some of these films include Celestial Camel (Russia) by Yury Feting and The Greatest House in the World (Guatemala, Mexico) by Ana V Bojórquez and Lucía Carreras under Mohaq; Lamb (France, Ethiopia, Germany, Norway, Qatar) by Yared Zeleke and Mina Walking (Canada, Afghanistan) by Yosef Baraki under Hilal; and The Second Mother (Brazil) by Anna Muylaert and Taxi Tehran (Iran) by Jafar Panahi under Bader.