Doha Film Festival Unveils Inaugural International Feature Film Competition Jury
Cambodian Oscar-nominated documentarian Rithy Panh will preside over the International Feature Film Competition Jury at Qatar’s inaugural Doha Film Festival in November.
The The Missing Picture and Everything Will Be Ok director will be joined by Tunisian director and screenwriter Raja Amari (Foreign Body), Moroccan filmmaker and actor Faouzi Bensaïdi (Summer Days, Deserts); Tunisian actor and filmmaker Dhafer L’Abidine (Ghodwa) and Alessandra Speciale, Founder and Curator of the Venice Film Festival’s Final Cut in Venice, supporting postproduction for films hailing from Africa and the Arab world.
They will judge a selection of selection 13 world cinema titles, announced earlier this month, which include Cannes Un Certain Regard Best Director winner Once Upon a Time in Gaza; Iraqi 2026 Oscar entry The President’s Cake, and Qatar-based director Suzannah Mirghani’s Cotton Queen, which premiered recently in Venice.
“The International Feature Film Jury reflects the very essence of Doha Film Festival — a meeting of storytellers whose work transcends borders and explores the complexity of humanity,” said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and CEO of the Doha Film Institute (DFI), which is overseeing the new event.
“These remarkable artists bring diverse perspectives that inspire dialogue, reflection, and discovery, that mirror our ongoing mission to support storytelling that bridges cultures and redefines narratives. Each of them represents a distinct cinematic tradition yet share a common dedication to exploring the transformative power of film. Their collective insight will be instrumental in amplifying important voices that are redefining the global film landscape”.
The International Competition gathers total prize money of $300,000, to be split between Best Narrative (with a cash prize of US$75,000), Best Documentary (US$50,000), Best Artistic Achievement (US$45,000) and Best Performance (US$15,000) categories. A certificate of Special Mention will also be presented to a feature narrative or documentary.
Unfolding November 20-28, the new Doha Film Festival, unfolding November 20-28, expands on the DFI’s long-running family-focused festival of Ajyal which ran for more than a decade during the same period.
As well as the International Competition, the festival will also feature the International Short Film Competition, the Ajyal Film Competition judged by youth jury; and Made in Qatar Competition, dedicated creative talent of filmmakers based in Qatar.
