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Last year at MIPCOM Cannes, Media City Qatar announced support for two original Arabic drama series: “Lamma Shefet,” starring Aimée Sayah and Mohamad Al Ahmad, and “Kawalees,” starring Dima Kandalaft. A year on, both projects, developed with licensed company ImagiQ Productions, are completed.
Their progress is part of a wider slate of productions by licensed companies, supported as they move from development through production and towards release.
These include documentary film “First to Fly” by Alaqat, which follows two young gymnasts competing at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, with filming across Qatar, Bulgaria and Madagascar. Also among them is “Jodari Meno” by The Film House, which follows Qatari spearfisher Jamal from Qatar to Zanzibar and Italy in pursuit of a record-breaking dogtooth tuna. Another completed work, “A Very Ordinary Life” by Lusail Films, about uncovering a buried family secret, is also moving towards release soon. All three films were recently selected for the special screenings program at Doha Film Festival 2026.
These projects form part of a growing portfolio of content supported by Media City Qatar, with more than 30 local projects to date, including 10 documentaries, seven shows and programs, five series, five films, three games and two podcasts.
Supporting original content from the region
The production work extends beyond scripted content. Since launching in October 2025, “CNN Creators” has been produced from Media City Qatar as a 30-minute weekly show for television, digital and social platforms, connecting stories from Doha with audiences around the world.
The same international reach is evident in Media City Qatar’s partnership with Euronews. Since 2021, the two have co-produced five programs, delivering more than 550 episodes and 11 billion TV impacts, and nearly 60 million YouTube views. The collaboration now includes four original programs produced from Doha: “Qatar in Motion,” “Grand Voyager,” “Cult,” and “Focus.”
Music adds another dimension to this original content. “Nabd Qatar,” produced by Media City Qatar-licensed Rahbani 3.0, brought together local creative production and live performance to celebrate Qatar national identity, premiering at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ final on Qatar National Day, with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performing the piece.
Developing the talent pipeline
With productions filming in the region and working with local crews, creative businesses and production services, the projects are helping build practical production capacity on the ground. As more licensed companies develop and deliver work across Screen, Broadcast & Music, that activity is creating a deeper pool of talent, services and experience for future productions.
Similarly, through its initiatives and partnerships, Media City Qatar is creating opportunities for future talent to gain practical experience, develop new skills and learn from established industry professionals.
One example is its support for a masterclass organized by licensed company RCD Media with two-time Academy Award winner Asghar Farhadi, which gave 60 members of Qatar’s creative and filmmaking community the opportunity to learn directly from one of international cinema’s leading filmmakers.
With programs such as the Euronews Academy Bootcamp and CNN Academy Media, City Qatar is helping upskill the next generation of media talent by providing practical training and exposure to international industry expertise. It also supported internships for three Northwestern University in Qatar students at Euronews’ Brussels headquarters, providing hands-on newsroom experience.
Building the foundations for content growth
The individual productions, programs and training opportunities reflect Media City Qatar’s wider effort to build a creative sector that can sustain production, develop talent and connect companies in Qatar with wider markets.
“Supporting creative businesses is about creating the right conditions for producers, filmmakers, and creative companies to develop ambitious work from Qatar, strengthen their capabilities, and access new markets,” said Hamad Omar AlMannai, CEO of Media City Qatar. “Our return to MIPCOM Cannes 2026 is an opportunity to demonstrate how Qatar is building a stronger platform for regional storytelling, production, and international collaboration, while creating more pathways for local and regional companies to reach wider audiences.”
For filmmakers, producers and media companies looking to build from Qatar, Media City Qatar offers a clear route in. With 100% foreign ownership, competitive incentives, streamlined licensing, production and broadcast infrastructure, talent support and access to a growing network of global and regional media players, it gives creative businesses what they need to set up, scale and reach further.
