Doha Film Festival Unveils 15-Film Competition Slate for 2026 Edition

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has announced the 15-title International Feature Competition slate for the 2026 Doha Film Festival, highlighting regional voices and female directors. Seven of the 15 selected titles are directed by women, and 11 received support through the institute's Grants programme.

Scheduled to run from November 19 to November 27 in Doha, Qatar, the event marks the second edition of the revamped festival. The competition lineup will contend for $185,000 in total prize money awarded by a five-member jury of industry professionals, including a $75,000 cash award for best narrative feature. Full jury appointments have not yet been disclosed.

Opening With Yemeni Civil War Drama 'The Station'

Yemeni-Scottish filmmaker Sara Ishaq's civil war drama "The Station" will serve as the festival's opening film while also screening in the competition section.

"In opening Doha Film Festival 2026 with 'The Station,' we are opening a space for dialogue, connection and a deeper understanding of the world through the power of film," said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute and festival director.

Ishaq described the production as an homage to communities surviving wartime hardship. "The world of 'The Station' distills what I love and cherish about Yemen into a fragile utopia, constantly overshadowed by turmoil beyond its walls," Ishaq said. "At its core, this film is about people in all their complexity, contradictions and humanity. It is an ode to the people of Yemen, who have endured years of war with dignity and strength."

Spotlight on Palestinian Cinema

Four of the 15 competition selections originate from Palestine, spanning both documentary and fiction filmmaking. Director Rabab Khamis's documentary "Sama," which follows a 10-year-old girl collecting plastic and cardboard in Deir al-Balah, will have its world premiere at the festival.

Director Mohanad Yaqubi enters the competition with "Revolutionaries Never Die," an archival documentary built from 113 preserved film rolls by the late Lebanese filmmaker Jocelyne Saab. The slate also includes Hosam Abu Dan's "Thirteen In Gaza" and Muayad Alayan's "Conversation With The Sea."

The Complete 15-Title Competition Lineup

The international feature selection draws from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, with the majority of titles scheduled as Middle East premieres.

• "The Station" (Sara Ishaq)
• "Sama" (Rabab Khamis)
• "Thirteen In Gaza" (Hosam Abu Dan)
• "Conversation With The Sea" (Muayad Alayan)
• "Revolutionaries Never Die" (Mohanad Yaqubi)
• "Concrete Land" (Asmahan Bkerat)
• "Bardi" (Tala Hadid)
• "House Of The Wind" (Auguste Bernard Kouemo Yanghu)
• "My Semba" (Hugo Salvaterra)
• "9 Temples To Heaven" (Sompot Chidgasornpongse)
• "A Girl Unknown" (Zou Jing)
• "Filipiñana" (Rafael Manuel)
• "The Meltdown" (Manuela Martelli)
• "The Illusion Of An Everlasting Summer" (Alessandra Sanguinetti)
• "Tin Castle" (Alexander Murphy)

"The 15 films from across the world are united by the courage, imagination and urgency of their filmmakers," Alremaihi said. "Each has travelled a remarkable journey, and it is deeply meaningful that Doha is a part of that journey, ensuring that these powerful works are seen, shared and remembered."