Giffoni juror’s experience is a dream come true

A group of young film enthusiasts have recently returned to Qatar from the Giffoni International Film Festival in Italy, where they participated as jurors in a number of activities and got the opportunity to meet prominent figures from the world of films. One of the jurors was Al Dana al-Dosari, who expressed her emotions about taking part in the initiative, which brings children together from all over the world. “I remember when my mother first told me that Doha Film Institute (DFI) had picked me to be a Giffoni Juror,” she said, adding “at first I felt nervous, but I soon became excited when I learned that my role would be extra special – I was going to be part of the first team to ever represent Qatar at Giffoni, and also the first Qatari woman to attend the festival.” “As a young woman dreaming of one day working in the film industry, this whole experience has been unbelievable,” she added. Al Dosari took part in a training workshop at DFI before travelling to Italy, where she learnt more about the film industry, reviewing films and how to effectively express opinions and views, which helped to build her confidence ahead of the trip abroad. “With this, I felt confident that I could do a really great job as a juror, and make Qatar proud. At Giffoni my experience got even better!” “I got to see and judge many amazing films with children from all different corners of the world; I met and received advice from famous movie stars like Edward Norton and Hilary Swank; and I made friends with people, who I learned from, that I never would have dreamed of meeting before,” she explained. “I have been given so many opportunities through DFI and Giffoni that I couldn’t get anywhere else. The experiences I have had in the past two weeks have inspired me to continue following my dreams to become a film-maker or film critic,” added the young juror. Al-Dosari urged other youngsters to pursue their passion in film, having been spurred on by seeing so many other young people taking part in the industry at Giffoni. “I encourage all other kids to get involved with DFI and Giffoni, and I hope there will be more opportunities like this in Qatar,” she said, adding “I also hope that my story helps other kids realise that there are places for young people who want to be film-makers - they too can follow their dreams, because if I can do it, anyone can!” Homegrown Giffoni Following the recent participation of the first team of Qatari youngsters in the Giffoni International Film Festival, Doha Film Institute (DFI) has announced it will be hosting a homegrown ‘Giffoni Experience’ for local youngsters interested in the film industry. The institute recently launched an online workshop, where they have been sharing daily tips on reviewing films at www.dohafilminstitute.com/doha-giffoni. On Wednesday, DFI will also host a special screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, at City Center Doha - Cinema 2. “The screening is open to children aged 8-18, with ticket applications closing July 26,” explained a spokesperson, adding “for more information please visit giffoni@dohafilminstitute.com.”