Doha: The Doha Film Institute reaffirmed its dedication to fostering emerging voices in global cinema today at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, unveiling the recipients of its 2024 Spring Grants cycle. A total of 44 films from 17 countries have been chosen for this round of the Middle East region's enduring film development program, which has backed over 850 diverse projects from 75 countries to date. Awarded in two cycles Spring and Fall the Institute Grants program is the region's longest-serving film support initiative that identifies and nurtures first-and second-time filmmakers globally. Seeking out and promoting original voices, the program aims to develop a community of filmmakers among the Institute's alumni and encourage creative interaction among artists worldwide. To date, more than 850 film projects from 75 countries have benefited from the program that supports feature and short narratives, documentaries, essays and experimentals, as well as TV and web series. In addition to Qatar, recipients o f the 2024 Spring Grants include film projects from Algeria, China, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia along with first-time grantees from Malta, South Korea and Tajikistan. Recipients include 25 women filmmakers and 14 returning grantees, along with six projects from Qatar-based talent, underlining the Institute's commitment to supporting important voices and the continued evolution of independent cinema from the region and beyond. Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, said: "The founding objective of our Grants program is to build a new collective of authentic voices who bring diversity and depth to the medium of cinema and encourage cross-cultural exchange and dialogue. Our aim is to identify new talent, amplify globally resonant stories and develop a robust ecosystem that nurtures powerful and moving storytelling to help emerging filmmakers realize their creative aspirations. "We are proud to present a new sl ate of captivating projects from across the region and beyond chosen for their innovative filmmaking techniques, reiterating our commitment to nurturing original and independent voices in world cinema. We are particularly excited of the notable presence of female talent, who represent the bold new energy of filmmaking in the Arab world. The 2024 Spring Grants recipients are: MENA Feature Narrative Development Running With Beasts (Lebanon, Czech Republic, Qatar) by Leila Basma. Amid Lebanon's economic collapse, five friends come up with a risky secret plan to chase their dreams, confronting the unexpected costs of growing up. MENA - Feature Narrative - Production Marie and Jolie (Tunisia, France, Qatar) by Erige Sehiri and Sound of Silence (Lebanon, France, Greece, UK, Qatar) by Joyce A. Nashawati. MENA - Feature Narrative - Post-Production To a Land Unknown (Palestine, UK, Greece, Netherlands, France, Germany, Qatar) by Mahdi Fleifel; Yunan (Syria, Germany, Canada, Italy, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) by Ameer Fakher Eldin; The Settlement (Egypt, France, Germany, Qatar) by Mohamed Rashad; Nomadish (Morocco, Hungary, Qatar) by Yassine Marco Marroccu, and Agora (Tunisia, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) by Ala Eddine Slim. Non-MENA - Feature Narrative - Post-Production Zejtune (Malta, Germany, Qatar) by Alex Camilleri; The Botanist (China, Qatar) by Jing Yi; Another Birth (Tajikistan, USA, Germany, Qatar) by Isabelle Kalandar; Horizon (Colombia, France, Luxembourg, Chili, Qatar) by César Augusto Acevedo; Tale Of The Land (Indonesia, The Philippines, Qatar) by Loeloe Hendra; and The Fin (South Korea, Germany, Qatar) by Syeyoung Park. MENA - Feature Documentary - Experimental/Essay - Development Flying Elephants (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Mona Khaouli; Just Like a Dream (Lebanon, Qatar) by Corine Shawi; Road Trip (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Linda Qibaa follows Linda; Speak Image, Speak (Palestine, Germany, Qatar) by Pary El-Qalqili. MENA - Feature Documentary - Production Flower of the Sands (Morocco , Qatar) by Jaouad Babili and Climbing the Mountains (Algeria, France, Germany, Qatar) by Sabrina Chebbi. MENA - Feature Documentary - Post-Production She Was Not Alone (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, USA, Qatar) by Hussein Al-Asadi; Those Who Watch Over (Morocco, Belgium, Qatar) by Karima Saidi; Ground Zero (Palestine, Qatar) a collective shorts project with 22 directors from Gaza; and Moondove (Lebanon, Netherlands, Qatar) by Karim Kassem. Non-MENA - Feature Documentary - Post-Production Cutting Through Rocks (Iran, Germany, Qatar) by Sara Khaki and Mohammad Reza Eyni and Requiem for a Tribe (Iran, Spain, Qatar) by Marjan Khosravi. MENA - TV Series - Development Badr on the Moon (Qatar, Jordan) by Aisha Al-Jaidah and Kholoud Al Ali; Last Words (Lebanon, Canada, Qatar) by Antoine Waked; Palmyra (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Carol Mezher and Gabriela Flores; Rent-a-Mama (Lebanon, Canada, Qatar) by Dania Bdeir; The Dry Kingdom (Jordan, USA, Qatar) by Dana J. Atrach; Echoes (Lebanon, Qatar) by Marie-Rose Osta MENA - Web Series - Production El'Sardines (Algeria, France, Qatar) by Zoulikha Tahar. MENA - Shorts - Narrative - Development Before the Day Breaks (Qatar) by Amal Al-Muftah and If Only (Qatar) by Ali Al Anssari. MENA - Shorts - Narrative - Production Little Man (Morocco, France, Qatar) by Hajri Gachouch; Salted Skins (Lebanon, France, Canada, Qatar) by Nicolas Fattouh; The Heaviness of Absence (Syria, Germany, Qatar) by Jalal Maghout; Zizou (Egypt, Qatar) by Khaled Moeit; Eman (Qatar) by Maha Al-Thani; Please Pause (Qatar) by Lulwa Al-Thani MENA - Shorts Documentary - Production The Star (Lebanon, Qatar) by Ingrid El Zoghby and Another Day Shall Come (Palestine, Qatar) by Aida Kaadan. Source: Qatar News Agency