Team Qatar by Liz Mermin (top); Hiam Abbass in Najwa Najjar’s Pomegranates and Myrrh (bottom) Doha Tribeca Film Festival Executive Director Amanda Palmer and Robert De Niro handed out two audience awards, worth Us$50,000 each, at the festival’s closing night gala on Nov. 1. Coincidentally, both winning films were directed by women. British filmmaker Liz Mermin’s documentary Team Qatar, which chronicles the creation of that country’s first debate team, was awarded Best Festival Film, while Palestinian Najwa Najjar’s debut feature, Pomegranates and Myrrh (talk about a poetic title), was chosen the Best Arab Film. Starring Hiam Abbass (who deserves a best actress Oscar nod for Lemon Tree), Pomegranates and Myrrh revolves around a Palestinian woman torn between being faithful to her [...]...
- 11/2/2009
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The first ever Doha Tribeca Film Festival has presented top Audience Awards to a Palestinian film and to a documentary on Sunday.
The "Pomegranates and Myrrh," directed by Najwa Najjar, received ,000 after winning the Audience Award in the festival. The audience chose the film as the best Arab movie in the festival.
Another big winner was "Team Qatar," a documentary directed by Liz Mermin that tells the story of high school students taking part in an international debate. It took home ,000 for winning the trophy.
The original Tribeca Film Festival was co-founded by Hollywood star Robert de Niro in New York in 2001. He also helped organize the Doha Tribeca Film Festival with the Qatari authorities.
The "Pomegranates and Myrrh," directed by Najwa Najjar, received ,000 after winning the Audience Award in the festival. The audience chose the film as the best Arab movie in the festival.
Another big winner was "Team Qatar," a documentary directed by Liz Mermin that tells the story of high school students taking part in an international debate. It took home ,000 for winning the trophy.
The original Tribeca Film Festival was co-founded by Hollywood star Robert de Niro in New York in 2001. He also helped organize the Doha Tribeca Film Festival with the Qatari authorities.
- 11/2/2009
- icelebz.com
How often do you hear 'Show us your socks!' called out at a film festival Q and A? Check out Team Qatar and you'll get the joke. Following Monday evening's screening, director Liz Mermin was joined by Alex Just, the springy young Brit who coached the Qatari national debate team at the heart of the documentary. In the film, five multicultural 15- to 17-year olds living in the education-focused Arab emirate endure a crash course in debating that takes them from Doha to London and New York. The kicker? Their very first competitive debate is at the World Schools Debating Championship in Washington, DC. Mermin was approached by the Qatar Foundation about making the film because she had already proven herself an ace at handling culture clashes (her doc about an American-style beauty school in Afghanistan, The Beauty Academy of Kabul, played at the Festival in 2004). 'I was interested...
- 4/29/2009
- TribecaFilm.com
Editor’s Note: This is one of dozens of interviews, conducted via email, with directors whose films are screening at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival in the narrative and doc competitions as well as the Discovery section. The festival takes place April 22 - May 3. “Team Qatar” Feature Documentary, 2009, 90 min., U.S. (World Documentary Feature Competition) Director: Liz Mermin Producers: Lawrence Elman, Liz Mermin Director of Photography: Lynda Hall Editor: …...
- 4/19/2009
- indieWIRE - People
Spike Lee's "Kobe Doin' Work," a documentary look at Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, will have its world premiere at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.
An Espn Films production, the film will screen April 25 as the gala entry in the fest's Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival sidebar.
Featuring a score by Bruce Hornsby, "Kobe" was shot during last year's NBA playoffs when Lee and cinematographer Matthew Libatique spent a day with the Lakers standout.
Following its Tribeca bow, "Kobe" will be televised May 16 on Espn.
Now in its third year, the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival showcases independent films about sports and competition. This year's lineup of eight titles includes films devoted to the Little League of Nascar, a Swedish men's synchronized swimming team, a baseball hero's return to his Cuban home for the first time in more than 45 years and a teenage debate team from Qatar that travels...
An Espn Films production, the film will screen April 25 as the gala entry in the fest's Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival sidebar.
Featuring a score by Bruce Hornsby, "Kobe" was shot during last year's NBA playoffs when Lee and cinematographer Matthew Libatique spent a day with the Lakers standout.
Following its Tribeca bow, "Kobe" will be televised May 16 on Espn.
Now in its third year, the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival showcases independent films about sports and competition. This year's lineup of eight titles includes films devoted to the Little League of Nascar, a Swedish men's synchronized swimming team, a baseball hero's return to his Cuban home for the first time in more than 45 years and a teenage debate team from Qatar that travels...
- 3/17/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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