Indie cinema takes centre stage in Doha

Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase to head film festival jury

DOHA:

From independent cinema to a Japanese animated hero who became part of childhood across the Arab world, Doha is preparing to celebrate two distinct forms of storytelling as the city's film festival and pop culture scene bring generations of audiences together.

The Doha Film Festival (DFF) 2026 has named acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase as head of its International Feature Film Competition jury, while a separate immersive exhibition, Grendizer Xperienz, will invite visitors to revisit the legacy of the iconic animated character from December 10, 2026, to January 16, 2027.

Kawase will lead a jury comprising French-Tunisian actor Adam Bessa, Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Palestinian filmmaker and artist Kamal Aljafari, and Italian documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi. Their collective experience spans fiction, documentary filmmaking and performance.

The jury will select the winning films from a 15-film international competition featuring filmmakers from the Arab world, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The festival, scheduled for November 19-27, aims to champion original storytelling, creative risk and cultural exchange.

"Independent cinema is where the most vital, courageous and transformative stories of our time find their voice," said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, chief executive of the Doha Film Institute and director of the festival. She said the festival sought to protect creative freedom, bring overlooked perspectives to the screen and build bridges across cultures.

The jury's appointment reflects the festival's stated commitment to filmmakers who challenge conventions and expand cinema's artistic horizons. Key partners include Katara, Media City Qatar Film Committee and Visit Qatar.

Meanwhile, Grendizer Xperienz will offer a different journey through the power of storytelling, celebrating a character whose Arabic-dubbed adventures have remained in the region's cultural memory for decades.

Powered by Geekdom in partnership with the Doha Film Institute and Qatar Museums, and sponsored by Qatar Calendar by Visit Qatar, the experience was unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday. It will trace the history of UFO Robot Grendizer, from its earliest beginnings to its latest releases, bringing together material from its Japanese, French, Italian and Arabic versions.

"For many of us who grew up in this region, Grendizer was never just a cartoon," said Mohamed Jaidah, group executive director of Jaidah Group, co-founder of Sixty Degrees and co-curator of the experience. "It was a story about courage, loyalty and standing up for what is right, and it stayed with us long after it left our screens."

Created by Japanese artist Go Nagai and produced by Toei Animation, UFO Robot Grendizer aired 74 episodes between 1975 and 1977. Its Arabic version, dubbed in Lebanon with Jihad Al-Atrash voicing Duke Fleed, became one of the most prominent dubbed productions in Arab television history.

Abdulla Al Mosallam, deputy chief executive of the Doha Film Institute and founder of Geekdom, said the exhibition would allow longtime fans to revisit childhood memories while introducing younger audiences to the character's legacy. He described the project as an extension of Geekdom's effort to bring together enthusiasts of animation, gaming, comics and collectibles.