Overview
- The inaugural Doha Film Festival began Nov. 20 with the Middle East premiere of Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, which recounts the killing of a six-year-old in Gaza on Jan. 29, 2024.
- Hind Rajab’s mother, Wissam Hamada, appeared on stage to address attendees but chose not to watch the screening because it features her daughter’s actual voice recordings.
- The film is structured around real Palestinian Red Crescent Society dispatch audio from Ramallah, with the festival reuniting the cast and the PRCS staff portrayed on screen.
- DFI, which provided early funding for the project, launched the expanded festival’s first edition running Nov. 20–28 and programming 97 films from 62 countries.
- After a celebrated Venice world premiere and selection as Tunisia’s Oscar entry, the film continues to Marrakech and the Red Sea Film Festival, as Doha also honored Jamal Soliman and Golshifteh Farahani with Creative Excellence Awards.