We explore the history, mission, and future of Arab cinema in Qatar and the wider region in the first episode of the Doha Film Institute Podcast, powered by afikra. Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute, joins us to discuss the institute’s evolution from the Doha Tribeca Film Festival to a year-round platform supporting filmmakers through grants, mentorship, workshops, and networking events like Qumra. She reflects on DFI’s role in supporting storytellers, fostering a collaborative internal culture, and creating spaces for underrepresented perspectives. The conversation also delves into the resilience of the Arab film industry in the face of regional and global challenges, the strategic choices behind festival programing, and the institute’s long-term vision for a self-sustaining film ecosystem.

00:00 Introduction

02:37 A Childhood Defined by VHS and Subtitles

04:46 From English Literature to an Unexpected Career

07:09 Doha to New York

11:02 Challenging Global Misconceptions

14:14 Voices of the Underrepresented

16:49 Building a Year-Round Film Ecosystem

20:11 The Future of Arab Cinema on the Global Stage

23:20 A Growing Network of Support

27:52 Redefining Success Beyond the Oscars

31:50 Making Doha a Film Hub for the Global South

36:04 Mentorship and the DFI Family

41:21 Resilience Through Crisis

44:05 Recommended Watching

46:21 Film as a Serious Career Path

51:09 Closing Thoughts

Fatma Hassan Al Remaihi is a Qatari cultural leader and film executive serving as CEO of the Doha Film Institute, known for developing Qatar’s film industry and supporting emerging filmmakers regionally and internationally through initiatives such as the Ajyal Youth Film Festival and Qumra. She has shaped the Institute’s strategic direction, expanded its regional and international presence, and helped elevate Arab cinema on the global stage. Al Remaihi joined the Institute at its inception in 2009 as Cultural Advisor to the first edition of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. She later served as Director of Programmes and Acting CEO in 2014, overseeing film funding, training, and international partnerships, leading community outreach and talent development, establishing collaborations including a partnership with the Giffoni Film Festival, and earning recognition such as inclusion in Variety’s 500 most influential entertainment leaders and honors like the Order of Arts and Letters.

Connect with Fatma Hassan Al Remaihi 👉 https://qa.linkedin.com/in/fatma-alremaihi-268b0121

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doha-film-institute-podcast-powered-by-afikra/id1893085312

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5R1nXmlFpCH4dqegNf2U0E 

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6boT4njw9GEJNzC3f0bbDQ

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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We explore the role of music in shaping cinematic storytelling, and how rhythm, sound, and silence make up an essential language across different film traditions. Our guests Suad Bushnaq, Ben Frost, and Gustavo Santaolalla reflect on their creative processes, the relationship between image and sound, and how they approach composing for diverse narratives and emotional landscapes. They also discuss collaboration with directors, cultural influences in their work, and the evolving role of film scores in contemporary cinema.

00:00 Introduction

02:47 Beyond a Single Label

10:11 Composing from the Page

11:54 When the Sounds Become Iconic

14:08 The Alchemy of Collaboration

19:16 Trusting the Vision

22:41 Finding Beauty in Inexperience

24:48 The Soul of Creation vs. The Machine

31:42 Narratives Beyond the Expected

38:00 The Weight of Choice

45:51 Carving Silence and Sound

50:56 The Geometry of Scoring

54:08 Immersive Worlds and Digital Agency

59:47 A Sonic Signature

01:00:40 From the Theater to the Screen

01:04:15 A Live Performance

Ben Frost is a composer, sound artist and stage director born in Melbourne and based in Reykjavík. Over the past two decades, he has developed a practice encompassing studio recordings, performance, installation, and collaborations in dance, theatre, and film. Albums include ‘Theory of Machines’ (2007), ‘By the Throat’ (2009), ‘Aurora’ (2014) and ‘Scope Neglect’ (2024). Screen credits include ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Palestine 36’, ‘Raised by Wolves’, ‘1899’ and ‘Dark’. A Rolex Arts Initiative protégé of Brian Eno (2011), he collaborated with Richard Mosse on ‘The Enclave’, ‘Incoming’ and ‘Broken Spectre’, and wrote the operas ‘The Wasp Factory’ and ‘The Murder of Halit Yozgat’.

Connect with Ben Frost 👉 https://instagram.com/ethermachines

Gustavo Santaolalla is an internationally acclaimed Argentine composer, producer, and musician. A two-time Academy Award winner for ‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2006) and ‘Babel’ (2007), he has also received a Golden Globe, two BAFTAs, two Grammys, and 19 Latin Grammys. As one of the most influential producers in the Spanish-speaking world, he has shaped Latin American music through over 100 albums. He founded Bajofondo, a collective blending tango, electronic, and Río de la Plata traditions. In audiovisual culture, he’s known for scoring ‘The Last of Us’ video games and HBO series. Currently, he is touring globally with the Ronroco Tour, celebrating 25 years of his iconic album ‘Ronroco’, which launched his cinematic music career.

Connect with Gustavo Santaolalla 👉 https://instagram.com/gustavosantaolalla

Suad Bushnaq is an internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning Jordanian–Canadian composer of Bosnian, Palestinian and Syrian roots, praised by Hans Zimmer as an ‘incredible artist’. With 12 wins and 15 nominations, honours include two Hollywood Music in Media Awards, four Canadian Screen Award nominations and two Canadian Screen Music Awards. Recent highlights include the BAFTA/Emmy-winning ‘Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough’ (CASMA winner; HMMA nominee), Yunan (Berlinale), Hobal and the Syrian series ‘Al Batal’ (CASMA winner). She also scored Egypt’s Oscar submission ‘Flight 404’ and Iraq’s ‘Hanging Gardens’. A McGill graduate and CFC/Cannes alumna, she has 60+ credits and teaches worldwide.

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doha-film-institute-podcast-powered-by-afikra/id1893085312

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5R1nXmlFpCH4dqegNf2U0E 

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl6boT4njw9GEJNzC3f0bbDQ

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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