This special online ‘First Cut Lab’ was designed to assist three feature films (fiction/documentary) and one short film in the editing phase from Qatar or the MENA region. Film teams from Qatar were also given the opportunity to apply with their short films in the editing phase. 

Selected producer/director/editor teams screened their full rough cut and were given expert feedback on their edit from international film advisors (creative producers, festival programmers, sales agents, etc.) as well as tailor-made advice from a consultant editor. Participants discussed their materials and received productive inputs both in one-to-one meetings and in small groups via video-conferencing platforms.

The Lab consisted of a two-day workshop tailored individually to each project, preceded by a brief preparatory meeting. At the end of the lab, creative teams were provided with a written memo report, as guidance to further work on the edit and post-production of their films. 

The trainers for First Cut Lab Doha were:

Sata Cissokho – Industry Advisor

Myriam Sassine – Industry Advisor

Gudula Meinzolt – Industry Advisor

Wim Vanacker – Industry Advisor

Benjamin Mirguet – Editor Mentor

Sebastian Sepúlveda – Editor Mentor

Matthieu Darras – Lab Advisor

SELECTED PROJECTS

 
“Maiden’s Pond” (fiction), by Bass Breche (Lebanon/Qatar)

“Places of the Soul” (doc), by Hamida Issa (Qatar)

“Searching for Kikhia” (doc), by Jihan Kikhia (USA/ Libya/ Lebanon/ France/ Qatar)

“Olayan” (short), by Khalifa Almarri (Qatar)

Partner: