The sixth edition of the Ajyal Film Festival, the annual cinema event hosted by the Doha Film Institute from November 28 to December 3 at Katara Cultural Village, is celebrating the spirit of Qatar’s resilience and ability to overcome even the most testing of challenges with a special interactive art showcase.

Featuring new works by 12 of Qatar’s most promising filmmakers and artists, [RE]ACTION will be showcased from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 at Katara Building 19. The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the consequences of personal and global actions, and the varied options one can take in response to them.

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said: “[RE]ACTION is a cultural response to the challenges faced by the nation and our remarkable spirit of resilience, and it will surely inspire all visitors. The powerful works of art communicate a poignant message that together, we can overcome all odds. The art showcase also reflects the overall theme of our festival’s programming, which puts the spotlight on human courage even in the most difficult situations.”

The pieces pay tribute to the courage and resilience of Qataris and those who call Qatar home, who have weathered a storm and come out stronger together because of it. Sub themes explored in their works include the impact of one’s choices both within and across borders, the meaning of community and its relationship to nations, and the forces that work to either amplify or quieten the truth.

Participating artist Ghada Al Khater, said: “This exhibition will be inaugurated at a pivotal time in Qatar and takes place at a film festival that gathers people from all over the world. It is a chance for local artists to showcase artworks to the public and present a daring contemporary art scene. I am honoured to be taking part in its second edition.”

The title of the art showcase draws from the definition of the word reaction, which means something must be done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event. All works on display were created with thought-provoking, interactive elements that will challenge audiences as it had the artists’ who created them.

Speaking about the challenges he faced, cartoonist Abdulaziz Yousef said: “Participating in this exhibition has been a challenge for me from an execution perspective as a cartoonist of a daily newspaper. The challenge was not the technicality or the physical projection of my idea, but rather in converting a cartoon drawn on a piece of paper to an interactive work that speaks for itself and delivers the multi-layer meaning behind it.”

2018 Ajyal Film Festival’s Official Partners include: Katara Cultural Village – Cultural Partner; Ooredoo – Principal Partner; Novo Cinemas – Strategic Partner and St. Regis Doha – Signature Sponsor.

Source: Press Release

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