Ajyal Film Festival
Ajyal Film Festival takes place Nov 2026 (dates TBC; typically mid-late November) in Doha, Qatar. The dress code is Smart casual; modest dress respected in public venues. Typical cost ranges from 20 to 150 EUR per person.
The Doha Film Institute's flagship festival at Katara Cultural Village, distinctive for its Ajyal Jurors - young people aged 8 to 25 who judge the competition films. It pairs international and Arab cinema with an outdoor pop-culture Geekdom and family programming, community-minded and welcoming rather than celebrity-driven.
- When
- Nov 2026 (dates TBC; typically mid-late November)
- Where
- Doha, Qatar
- Dress code
- Smart casual; modest dress respected in public venues
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 20 to 150 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 24 - 30C warm dry days, cool evenings
- When to book
- Tickets go on sale via the Doha Film Institute when the program drops, usually in October
- Getting there
- DOH (Doha Hamad), ~20 min to Katara Cultural Village
- Where to stay
- The Ned Doha, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel
- Official site
- https://www.dohafilm.com/en
How to attend
Buy individual film tickets and passes online via the Doha Film Institute once the program is announced (usually October); prices are low and screenings are open to the public. Many Geekdom and family activities at Katara are free walk-ins, and no accreditation is needed for public screenings.
The Doha Film Institute now runs the Doha Film Festival in place of Ajyal and lists no Ajyal edition or tickets for 2026.
Insider tip
The free open-air Geekdom zone at Katara is the festival's social heart - go in the evening when the seafront cools and the family crowds arrive.
Get inside Ajyal Film Festival
Booking matters here: tickets go on sale via the Doha Film Institute when the program drops, usually in October. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.