The inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) announced Monday, a new series of thought-provoking dialogues that will be held year round. As part of the organization's efforts to foster an active cinema culture, these talks, panels, conversations and masterclasses will be free of charge. “Doha Talks” will feature events with filmmakers including Mira Nair (“Amelia”), Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”), Elia Suleiman (“The Time That Remains”), R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue”) and industry executives Lynette Howell, Ken Kamins, Cassian Elwes and many more. DTFF itself runs through to Nov. 1. “These conversations will unite films, filmmakers and audiences together in a way that will evolve cinema culture,” remarked Amanda Palmer, Executive Director of DTFF. “This is what film festivals do best.” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer at Tribeca Enterprises. “They provide context and discussion to let films grow and evolve. This program will advance our goals in Doha, which include laying the groundwork for an industry and elevating the dialogue about film.” Highlights from Doha Talks include a masterclass with Danny Boyle, a panel on the new wave of Arab filmmakers, “The New Arab Way,” and two Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions hosted by Palmer with Mira Nair on Oct. 30 and Elia Suleiman on Nov. 1. Additionally, three Industry Conversations will explore the business of entertainment - tackling the topics of documentary filmmaking; film finance, and production and distribution in the global marketplace. Guests include Ken Kamins, who played a pivotal role in the financing of “The Lord of the Rings” and many other films; veteran independent film agent and financier Cassian Elwes; and Lynette Howell, producer of “Half Nelson” and “Phoebe in Wonderland.” Mira Nair Masterclass, Q&A This event will be taped live for Al Jazeera English's “Fabulous Picture Show” and takes place on Oct.30 at the Museum of Islamic Art. Nair's 1988 debut feature, “Salaam Bombay!” won the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award. Since then, Nair's internationally acclaimed films include “Mississippi Masala”; “Vanity Fair”; “Hysterical Blindness” and “Monsoon Wedding” amongst others. Danny Boyle Masterclass This event takes place on Oct.31 at Villaggio 3. Before “Slumdog Millionaire” captured eight Academy Awards this year, Danny Boyle was already one of the UK's highly regarded directors. His second feature film, “Trainspotting”, was recently selected in the Observer newspaper as one of the best British films of the past 25 years. Directing films that are both smart and entertaining, Boyle combines the visually inventive with memorable soundtracks and talented ensemble casts. A director in command of all aspects of his craft, this masterclass will be an education on all levels of the filmmaking process. Elia Suleiman Masterclass, screening and Q&A This event will be taped live for Al Jazeera English's “Fabulous Picture Show” and takes place on Nov. 1 at the Museum of Islamic Art. Director Elia Suleiman is the subject of a masterclass examining the influences that have shaped his characteristically deadpan humor, his exploration for identity, and his political and social consciousness. Suleiman also will discuss his DTFF premiere “The Time That Remains”, the final installment of a trilogy charting the Palestinian occupation and displacement over the past 60 years. The New Arab Way Across the Arab world, an unprecedented wave of new filmmakers is dramatically changing the identification of East, West, and everything in between. These young directors, many of whom grew up in the shadow of civil war and political strife in their native countries, imbue their filmmaking aesthetic with a mix of cultural influences that combine Arabic subject matter with Hollywood and Europe. The filmmakers will discuss the sources of their inspiration and the challenges that face them as they forge ahead with their careers. Taking place on Nov. 1 at the Museum of Islamic Art, the participants include Amin Matalqa (“Captain Abu Raed”), Chadi Zenedinne (“Falling From Earth”), Swel Noury (“Heaven's Doors”) and Marwan Hamed (“The Yacoubian Building”).
