DFI to launch Ajyal film series in 2014

Doha Film Institute's year-round film series will launch a new program of film screenings, the Ajyal Youth Film Series, as part of the Katara DFI Cinema Program. Dedicated to engage the local community and further support film appreciation in Qatar, the series will open with the classic movie The Kid (1921, USA) on January 2 and 3, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin. The Ajyal Youth Film Series, which stems from the recent Ajyal Youth Film Festival, builds on the goal to inspire and create, as well as to empower the region's youth and foster creativity. The aim is to encourage local youth and families with an opportunity to actively engage and participate in film appreciation in a fun and educational environment, create dialogue and learn about new cultures from around the world. The Film Series will comprise of two screenings per month throughout 2014, showcasing a diverse selection of classics and contemporary international films. Screenings will take place on Thursday mornings free of charge, for schools only, which will also include educational learning activities, and Friday afternoons for the general public for regular screenings. "The founding motive of the Ajyal Youth Film Series is simple, it is to instill the love of cinema among young people and families in our community. We want to inspire them through the medium of film and allow them to explore, discuss and create their own dialog around storytelling," DFI Chief Executive Officer Abdulaziz Al-Khater said. An archival treasure from 1921, The Kid is comic drama produced, written and directed by Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin himself stars as the beloved little vagabond, who finds an abandoned baby in an alley and takes him under his wing. As the child gets older, he becomes the Tramp's partner in petty crime, scamming unsuspecting people to survive. Eventually, however, welfare services attempt to take the boy away, resulting in a desperate search and an emotional reunion. This was Chaplin's first full-length movie and is widely considered one of his best works. Actor, filmmaker and composer, Chaplin rose to fame in the silent movie era with his infamous pantomime and slapstick style of making films such as A Woman of Paris (1923) and The Circus (1928).  His career spanned over 75 years, gaining numerous awards along the way, including a Special Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1972 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lincoln Center Film Society the same year. (QNA)