Doha Qumra Masters Announces Focus on Palestinian Stories with Three New Documentaries
Doha, Qatar – The Qumra Masters program, a key component of the Ajyal Film Festival, will spotlight the realities of life in Palestine and Lebanon with three newly announced documentaries screening this weekend. The films-Yalla Barkour, Al-Zaimi Al-Veeer, and The Steadfastness of Al-Numan-offer distinct perspectives on resilience, survival, and the enduring human spirit amidst conflict and hardship. A dedicated communication and discussion schedule is set for Saturday evening,beginning with a screening of The steadfastness of Al-Numan at 8:00 PM,attended by director Mona Hammoud.
Thes films arrive at a critical moment, as global attention remains fixed on the ongoing conflict in gaza and the broader challenges facing the region. Yalla Barkour (2024, 80 D.) by Palestinian Arab Zuaiter follows young athletes practicing parkour in Gaza amidst explosions, connecting with athlete Ahmed to explore the city’s destroyed landscapes and the symbols of palestinian identity. The film contrasts life in Gaza-described as an “open prison”-with the director’s experiences in the United States and her mother’s legacy. Al-Zaimi Al-Veeer (2024,70 D.) by Italian Giovanni C. Loruso investigates the 1982 Sabra camp massacre in Beirut, focusing on 11-year-old Arafat’s life within a Gaza building and his captivation with a forbidden cellar rumored to harbor “sex, drugs and death,” alongside reports of a man falling from the fourth floor for “unknown reasons.” The Steadfastness of Al-numan (2024, 40 D.) by Lebanese Mona Hammoud examines how Lebanese comedians-Stephanie Galbouni, John Ashkar, Wissam Kamal, Shaker Bou Abdullah, and Muhammad Baalbaki-use humor to navigate social, political crises, and the recent war devastating the country, transforming “personal and collective shocks into laughter attacks.” The program aims to foster dialog and understanding through powerful storytelling.
