Doha Tribeca Film Festival 2011 In three short years, the annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) - Doha Film Institute (DFI)'s annual celebration of film - has put itself firmly on the map of global cinematic events as a showcase for the best of Arab and international cinema.
T
his year's rush of excitement included the opening night's world premiere of Jean Jacques Annaud's "Black Gold" coproduced by Tarak Ben Ammar's Quinta Communications and the DFI. The glamour and glitz of the red carpet was heightened by the truly romantic setting of the main screening venue - Katara Open Air Theatre (KOAT) - being under the stars of the city's Katara Cultural Village, overlooking the sparkling azure blue Arabian Gulf. In terms of aesthetics it was a case of drive-in movie meets modern industrial masterpiece.
A special setting Settings don't get much more special than this ....and neither do production teams! A massive technical production operation created and delivered the 2000 capacity Katara Open Air Theatre (KOAT) - DTFF's main screening venue and one of nine movie spaces, seven of them temporary, used
before, but as with most events, it was the final 48 hours under intense pressure that saw the details materialized.
No room for error
over the 5 day event. It was the result of an incredible collaboration utilizing the skills, talents, resources and experience of a diversity of very dedicated creatives, engineers, technicians, labourers and administrators. They were united in one aim - to build a truly unique, absolutely beautiful environment that made visiting the Festival a fabulously memorable experience. A remarkable work ethic pervaded the site on all levels. The build started six weeks 20
This was the time when every department had to hold their nerve - there was no room for errors, doubts or negatives - whether you were involved in building structures, laying carpet, tech'ing lighting or sound tech, part of the creative team, one of a host of departmental coordinators - or Michael Petrovich - DFI's Head of Event Production, a charming and unflappable American now living in Doha .... and the man on the top of the project delivery pyramid. KOAT's massive arched bespoke temporary structure was a spectacular feat of architectural ambition. It was designed by Jeremy Thom, a colourful Englishman living in New York state whose background encompasses theatre, circus engineering and imagination. It was built by Dubai based Al Laith Event Services and Serious Stages