Film’s director Justin Kramer receiving the award.
Doha, Qatar: The Qatari short film From Here To Anywhere: The Story of Football in Qatar claimed the prestigious Best Short Film award at the 43rd Paladino d’Oro Sports Film Festival hosted in Agrigento, Italy. Speaking to The Peninsula, the film’s director Justin Kramer said it was a tremendous honour to have entered Qatar’s film history.
The film, produced by Qatar Museums for Qatar’s 3-2-1 Olympic Sports Museum, was Qatar’s first film to be accepted at the renowned film festival in the southern Italian region of Sicily.
The filmmaker said that the topic of football in Qatar had always interested him and that his curiosity regarding the country’s football history inspired him to showcase the team throughout decades of “illustrious” history.
One of the most memorable moments during the filming, Kramer said, was with Qatari football legend Badr Belal.
Kramer recounted an evening of filming with the Qatari legend under the historical Doha Stadium floodlights, and how a powerful “nostalgia” overcame him while filming the historical goalscorer’s impassioned recollection of his early career.
When asked about the future of Qatari cinema, Kramer said that it looked “very bright” and that Qatar has the “stories and talent” to shoot a great variety of films ranging “from a period piece to a sci-fi movie.”
Kramer thanked Qatar Museums, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic Sports Museum, the cast, and the crew upon receiving the prestigious award, and reiterated to The Peninsula his deep gratitude to his production partner Pascale Abou Jamra.
“Leading up to the FIFA World Cup 2022, there was a global misconception about Qatar not having a football culture. It was a tremendous honour to work on this film and share the rich history of football in Qatar with the world. I had the pleasure to meet and work with many of the original Qatar National Team players from the historic 1970’s and 1980’s squads that participated in the FIFA Youth World Cup and even the Olympics - and learn their stories,” Kramer said.
“It was inspiring for me, and I knew this story needed to be told. Thanks to Qatar Museums, The Film House and I were given the opportunity to do so. Winning the Best Short Film award at the Paladino d’Oro was fantastic and a testament to the strength and importance of the story. This is an award and an experience that I will cherish forever,” said.
