Doha, Qatar: The Doha Film Festival (DFF), presented by the Doha Film Institute, concluded its 2025 edition with a vibrant closing ceremony that honoured the standout films and emerging voices of the year. The celebration marked the end of a week filled with screenings, dialogue sessions, creative showcases, and community engagement across Doha.
The ceremony welcomed a distinguished audience, including H.E. Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Fund for Development and DFI Board Member; H.E. Sheikh Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani, Chairman of Media City Qatar; H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Managing Director of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy; H.E. Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library; Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi, CEO of Qatar Museums; Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar; Mr. Abdulla Al Najjar, Member of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums; and Eng. Jassim Mohamed Al-Khori, CEO of Media City Qatar. The evening was hosted by Sudanese filmmaker and presenter Amjad Al Noor and Syrian-American comedian Nasser Al-Rayes, and attended by international cultural figures such as Saleh Bakri, Kamal Al Jafari, Saja Kilani, Misan Harriman, Elia Suleiman, Brigitte Lacombe, Rithy Panh, and Dhafer L’Abidine.
Addressing the audience, Festival Director and DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi reflected on the festival’s vision, saying: “As we close this edition of Doha Film Festival, we reaffirm Qatar’s commitment to nurturing bold storytellers and giving space to new voices. Every story shared here reminds us that cinema remains one of humanity’s most powerful bridges—connecting us beyond borders and perspectives.”
In the International Feature Film Competition, The Reserve by Pablo Pérez Lombardini received a Special Mention, while Majd Eid and Nader Abd Alhay earned the Best Performance Award for Once Upon a Time in Gaza. The Best Artistic Achievement Award was shared between Kamal Al Jafari for With Hasan in Gaza and Chie Hayakawa for Renoir. My Father and Qaddafi by Jihan won Best Documentary, and Guillermo Galoe’s Sleepless City claimed the Best Narrative prize. This category’s jury, chaired by acclaimed filmmaker Rithy Panh, also included Raja Amari, Dhafer L’Abidine, Brigitte Lacombe, and Alessandra Speciale.
In the International Short Film Competition, the jury recognized L’Mina by Randa Maaroufi with a Special Mention and awarded Ammar Ahmed a Special Mention for Performance for Zizou. Milica Janevski won Best Performance for Upon Sunrise, while Aria Sánchez and Marina Meira took home Best Director for Primary Education. The Best Film award went to Samba Infinito by Leonardo Martinelli, selected by a jury led by Eddie Bertozzi with Faris Alrjoob and Zoljargal Purevdash.
The Made in Qatar Competition highlighted the strength of local talent, with Project Aisha by Fahad Al-Nahdi receiving a Special Mention. Rashid Al Sheeb won the Abdulaziz Jassim Award for Performance for his role in Fahad the Furious, while Eiman Mirghani was named Best Director for Villa 187. The Best Film Award was presented to Fahad the Furious by Justin Kramer. This jury was chaired by Afef Ben Mahmoud alongside Fahad Al-Kuwari and Alaa Alasad.
In the Ajyal Film Competition, The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania won Best Feature, while Sulaimani by Vinnie Ann Bose secured Best Short. These awards were decided by an international youth jury aged between 16 and 25. The festival’s Audience Award went to Cotton Queen by Suzannah Mirghani.
This edition of DFF featured a dynamic lineup of 97 films from 62 countries, accompanied by networking events, music performances, special screenings, and community-focused initiatives, including Geekdom. The festival’s four main competition sections once again underscored Doha’s growing position as a global cultural hub dedicated to cinematic innovation and artistic exchange.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
