Doha Institute Maps Filmmaker Connections

Why this is here: Filmmakers from over 80 countries contributed more than 8,000 pages of submissions for inclusion in the Atlas of Cinematic Affinities.

The Doha Film Institute in Qatar launched Atlas of Cinematic Affinities, a book documenting filmmakers from the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond. The publication maps relationships between filmmakers, noting shared influences and creative links across borders. It presents a bilingual Arabic-English format, integrating language into the book’s design.

DFI chief executive Fatma Hassan al-Remaihi describes the atlas as a record of a generation’s creative development. Editor Zaina Bseiso explains the book focuses on the process behind filmmaking, not just the finished films themselves.

The institute received over 8,000 pages of material from filmmakers in more than 80 countries. The resulting publication serves as both an archive and a visually-driven exploration of cinematic themes.

The DFI acknowledges the book cannot fully capture the breadth of every filmmaker's journey. The institute continues to support filmmakers exploring identity and collective narratives.