Doha Film School is expanding its footprint as one of the most active talent training institutions in the Arab world with a new vocational training program developed in partnership with France’s prestigious film school La Fémis and Paris Gobelin, the country’s leading animation school. The initiative, announced on November 26 during the Doha Film Festival, is one of DFI’s most ambitious education drives to date and aims to fast-track the next wave of creativity across the region.
The program, supported by Institut Français du Qatar and Qatar Museums, represents DFI’s long-term strategy and investment in expanding access to industry-ready training as the demand for skilled staff, animators and content creators soars, particularly across the Gulf. The launch also comes as Qatar is establishing itself as a growing creative hub, with significant investments in both production capacity and infrastructure.
“Vocational training represents the future of learning,” said Fatma Hassan Alremayhi, CEO of DFI. “In a rapidly changing world, we must empower young people with education that is practical, adaptable and connects to real-world opportunities. La Femi’s partnership with Gobelins Paris has enhanced our year-round workshops and mentoring sessions, helping to build a thriving creative ecosystem in Qatar and the wider region.”
Scheduled to start in June 2026, the La Fémis Cinematography Certification Program will offer a four-month practical training course that combines theory, practice, and both online and in-person sessions. The program is designed to give participants a solid foundation in the creative and technical responsibilities of a cinematographer and aims to give budding cinematographers the industry-ready skills needed to compete in global productions.
Gobelin will lead a nine-month animation certification program starting in September 2026. The program is structured around three modules: Animation Fundamentals, Character Performance, and Visual Storytelling. Combining lectures, practical workshops in Doha, and ongoing online follow-up, each module culminates in a completed project, with graduates receiving a Gobelins certificate of achievement. The program is designed to complement DFI’s existing ToonBoom certification, creating a more complete training pipeline for animators in the region.
The move underscores DFI’s strategy of combining local talent development with global partnerships, a model the institute has relied on across its lab, fellowship and festival initiatives for more than 15 years. New vocational courses with an emphasis on mentorship and real-world application signal further investment in building sustainable creative industries, and not just short-term workshops.
By embedding an internationally recognized school directly into Qatar’s training environment, the institute aims to create a pathway from introductory courses to professional professional training for young creators, rather than just access, without the need to leave the region.
“Our focus is to put skills, creativity and hands-on experience at the heart of developing the next generation of storytellers,” Alllemeich emphasized. “These programs are a pathway into industry, a bridge to global networks and a catalyst for creativity across the region.”
