Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Alice Diop, Faouzi Bensaïdi, and Gustavo Santaolalla Announced as Qumra Masters for 2026
Mexico to Showcase Talent at Doha Film Institute’s Qumra Event
Mexico will prominently feature at the upcoming 12th edition of the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra, a renowned project and talent incubator, which runs from March 27 to April 1. The event aims to foster creativity among filmmakers from the Middle East and North Africa and beyond.
Notable Mexican figures such as actors Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna will attend as Qumra Masters, alongside Moroccan director Faouzi Bensaïdi, French director Alice Diop, and Oscar-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla. Each Qumra Master will engage audiences through talks about their careers and provide one-on-one mentorship to selected projects attending the event.
“Qumra was created to ensure that emerging filmmakers are not only supported but truly seen—artistically, professionally, and globally,” stated DFI CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi. She emphasized the significance of mentorship, stating, “Their commitment to storytelling, cultural dialogue, and artistic courage will have a lasting impact on the filmmakers they engage with and on the stories that will shape cinema’s future.”
Alremaihi highlighted García Bernal’s participation as especially meaningful since he was a Qumra Master during the inaugural event in 2015. “Over 12 editions, Qumra has grown in scale, ambition, and global reach, becoming a space defined by creative exchange, generosity, and momentum,” she remarked.
Elia Suleiman, Artistic Advisor at DFI, added, “Cinema begins where certainty ends. It exists in the tension between what is seen and what is felt, offering a language beyond image. At Qumra, we gather not to teach, but to open doors. The exchange reshapes perception and imagines new worlds.”
This year’s Qumra will host masterclasses, individualized mentorship sessions, and curated industry meetings, providing participants with rare access to guidance from across the international film landscape. Invited projects, totaling around 50, are recipients of DFI grants and will receive valuable input from industry professionals.
Selected projects and further details regarding the program will be announced in the coming weeks.
Bensaïdi’s recent work, Deserts, was featured at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2023. García Bernal, known for international films such as Amores perros and The Motorcycle Diaries, is currently directing his third feature, Hombre Al Agua. Meanwhile, Luna gained fame from Y tu mamá también and has recently starred in the acclaimed series Andor.
Diop’s debut film, Saint Omer, won awards at the Venice Film Festival, including the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize. Santaolalla, a celebrated composer, won consecutive Academy Awards for Best Original Score for Brokeback Mountain and Babel. His work continues to make a significant impact in the film industry.
