Abdulrahman Al-Mana is a Qatari Award-winning filmmaker, Member of Qatar Media Center and was one of World Cup 2022 organizers and Asian Cup 2024. graduated from United Kingdom Bachelor with honors in Film and TV production – keele University. 

“ I always look forward to participate in building a bright future for the country and achieving the vision of His Highness Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Qatar 2030”

Early Life and  professional journey

Can you share a pivotal moment from your early life that significantly influenced your path and on your professional journey?

Growing up I have always been fascinated by film. Movies were my window to discover people’s cultures and environments, it was my window to the world in general.

I have been mostly reading stories and watching visual stories. I was passionate about how Movies and series stories bloomed into different trajectories from the beginning to the end. This passion has triggered me to discover more about scriptwriting. Meanwhile, filmmaking was another story as I was curious about how the film itself was produced and how it made. When I saw filmmakers making films independently, I followed the process from creating stories and characters to bringing life into them into a film. Since the moment I produced my first short film, I enjoyed and wanted to make more creative stories.

Can you tell us more about the significance of the VHS tape in the story? How did you come up with this nostalgic element?

I’m a product of the 80’s, and growing up, my family had a collection of VHS tapes, which of course were updated to DVD and Blu-ray over time. A lot of my early favorites were seen on VHS.

With streaming in the digital world, everything is super crisp, and while that is appreciated, I do believe the world of physical formats is sorely missed – the texture of film, and the grittiness of video. I just had to combine them.

Education: Where did you pursue your education, and what field of study did you choose? How has it impacted your career?

Was there a specific course or mentor during your education that guided you towards your current industry?

As for education, I have graduated with a TV and film production major in Keele University. I was pleased to receive a country-sponsored scholarship to study filmmaking abroad in the United Kingdom. The drive behind my choice to study film production is consistency with Qatar Vision 2030 to localize the industry of film production and as Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad claimed “ Qatar deserve the best from their citizens “

Career Choice: What inspired you to choose your current field or industry?

Can you identify a moment or experience that confirmed you were on the right path in your industry?

Filmmaking offers a huge opportunity to create awareness and really touch people. 

However, it is one of the dynamic and creative processes that combine scriptwriting, Pre-production, production, post-production and marketing. I was inspired by this ever-changing industry since growing up when I was gripped by a great love for the cinema and allured by a desire to pump life into the scripted characters and create compelling stories that resonate with the audience, influence their emotions and change their behaviors for good. Also, I was fascinated by how films can show the intricate culture of a country and put it on a global scope. Therefore, I wanted to harness my passion and collaborate with different talents and skills to create a fully- visualized world.

What were the challenges that you faced during the making of this movie?

One of the main challenges in pre-production is to find the right actor for the film, as a director there are specifications in the main actor. How he looks, how he talks and how he acts, but the challenge in Doha is that there are not many actors that are ready to take the main role of the film. Sometimes you will have to see who is available in the list and move on.

Achievements, What do you consider your greatest achievement to date, and why?

How do you measure success in your career, and by that measurement, what has been your most rewarding moment?

I’m glad and proud to be among the first Qatari graduates in film production through a scholarship sponsored by the country. Also, my films have been screened and awarded in international global film festivals, including the Dubai Film Festival and Manchester film Festival and Swedish international film festival. However, my recent achievement was receiving the award of best three director’s with honors mentioned out of 400 projects and directors worldwide in Greece Athena film festival. 

This achievement has generated a lot of positive impact in the Middle East, considered to be one of the first middle easter to achieve it.

Who is your personal inspiration? What sources inspired you in your artistic journey?

I find inspiration in ideas and life experiences and personal challenges, and the positive impact of cinema on behavioral change and public health. However, my main inspiration for my entire career in general is the 2030 vision “Qatar deserves the best from its citizens” from His Highness the Emir of Qatar, to promote national and cultural identity through art and film production.

Looking forward, what is your vision for the future of your industry, and how do you plan to contribute to it?

Qatar aims to be among the leading countries in local film production according to Vision 2030, merging cultural heritage with cutting-edge technology. Qatar is poised to become a hub for both regional and international filmmakers and it does so through investing in state-of-the-art studios and production facilities and sponsoring talent training programs. I aspire to create the films that will raise the Qatar flag all over the world and get global and local rewards and leave my imprint in the global film industry.

How long did it take to research and make the film?

From pre-production to locking the cut it took just it could take 2 months or even years. I am very ambitious as a filmmaker and want to get things done as quickly as possible. One of my films could commitment is an act not a word 2024 the pre-production research took 6 months as the film is based on research from National Institutes of Health (NIH) which claims a large percentage of abandoning any harmful habit is the psychological factor and routine commitment. I believe as a filmmaker when you make your film based on valuable studies the film will leave a huge positive impact on the audience.

What emerging trends do you see shaping your industry in the next few years?

 Qatar is willing to localize film production according to Vision 2030. This trend has been motivated by several drivers, including preserving Qatar’s heritage and culture through creating films that show its culture to the world. Institutions like the Doha Film Institute (DFI) play a crucial role in this regard by providing training, funding, and support for aspiring filmmakers to equip them with the right education and story-telling techniques that help them compete in a global scale.

Do you believe film films can significantly influence people’s lives?

Yes, Filmmaking offers a huge opportunity to create awareness about important social, political, and environmental issues. It also touches people’s emotions and provides them with motivation to change their behaviors and prompt them to take action in their lives. It is such a powerful form of communication. I find it incredibly invigorating to write a story and to see it become reality. I believe any story creator will tell you the same.

Do you recommend people in general to study film production?

Yes I would, when you study something your passion about the creative will be limitless. 

More importantly the knowledge you will receive will be valuable in your film career path. However, it’s not always necessary as you can learn to make films by doing it.

What’s the best advice you have received in the film industry?

Filmmaking is inherently a collaborative art form, requiring the combined efforts of a diverse group of individuals. However, my main advice will be to build a strong teamwork, filmmaking is a group effort. Different groups of people come to one place at different stages of the process for one project. It is not possible for a single person to make a film. The better team you build, the better results you will receive.

We absolutely loved this movie. I hope you enjoyed working with SIFF!

I am truly honored to be awarded at The Sweden International Film Festival, the general experience was great! I am also grateful to SIFF for their support and this interview.