Editor

The Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) has announced that the second edition of the Festival will take place October 26 - October30, 2010 in Doha, Qatar.

The second annual DTFF will build on the success of the inaugural Doha TribecaFilm Festival which showcased an internationally diverse and tightly curatedfilm program with a focus on Arab cinema, public participation through largecommunity events, and educational filmmaking programs. A priority of the 2010Festival will be to increase the Arab programming of the Festival slate andenhance
educational initiatives year round and during the festival to uncover local andregional film talent.

DTFF also announced that thesecond edition of the Festival will introduce an Arab Film Competition for BestArab Film and Best Arab Filmmaker in the Festival which will be chosen by ajury. The Festival will also feature two audience awards, one for BestNarrative Film and the other for Best Documentary Film. The two Arab filmcompetition prizes are each $100,000 (USD) and the audience awards each feature
prize monies of $100,000 (USD).

The Festival has announced acall for entries for the 2010 Festival with submissions being accepted beginningon June 7, 2010.

Amanda Palmer, Executive Director for the Festival, along with Tribeca's ChiefCreative Officer Geoffrey Gilmore, will lead the 2010 programming team ofOscar® nominated Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti and Tribeca's David Kwok andGenna Terranova.

"We look forward to building on the successes of the first Doha Tribeca FilmFestival and providing a strong showcase of cinema for Qatari and internationalfilm audiences," said Amanda Palmer, Executive Director of the Festival. "The inaugural Festival showed us that film can do more than just entertain; itcan educate, inspire and unite communities. To that end we are already busywith our year round educational programs which provide Qataris a platform totell their stories to the world through the universal language of film."

"Last year we were able to see firsthand and be a part of the enthusiasticvibrant film community in and around Qatar," said Geoffrey Gilmore, Tribeca'sChief Creative Officer. "All throughout the Festival people commented on thestrength and quality of the Arab films; this lead us to add an Arab Filmmakingcompetition for the 2010 Festival to provide further support, awareness andaudience development for Arab filmmakers and firmly place these films on the centerstage."

Uniquely Qatari in its identity, the Festival stems from a strategicpartnership between Qatar and Tribeca Enterprises. Similar to the Tribeca FilmFestival, DTFF is dedicated to engaging the local community and promotingfilmmaking talent. DTFF's focus is to inspire, engage and educate a newgeneration of cinema appreciation locally; discover, mentor and fund regionalfilmmaking talent; foster a community through art and entertainment; andencourage open discussion and debate. The inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festivalwas held October 29-November 1, 2009, and featured 31 feature films andnumerous free public community screenings and events with an attendance of over35,000 highlighted by frequent sold out screenings and outstanding attendance atpublic events exemplified by a turnout of over 5,000 people on opening night.