Naomi Kawase to lead jury at 2026 Doha Film Festival

The Doha Film Festival announced that Japanese director Naomi Kawase will head the international competition jury for its 2026 edition, scheduled for November 19-27 in Doha, Qatar, according to Variety and Deadline.

Kawase, a renowned auteur known for her work at Cannes and Locarno, has a history with the Doha Film Institute, having participated in its Qumra program mentoring emerging filmmakers since 2016, Variety reported.

Her accolades include the Caméra d’Or at Cannes for her debut feature 'Moe no Suzaku' (1997), and awards for 'Mogari no Mori' (2007) and 'Hikari' (2017). Her latest film, 'Yakushima’s Illusion,' premiered at Locarno in 2025.

Joining Kawase on the jury are French-Tunisian actor Adam Bessa, Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Italian documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi, and Palestinian filmmaker Kamal Aljafari, Variety detailed.

The Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma Hassan Alremaihi expressed pride in welcoming jury members who share the institute's vision to support independent cinema and bold storytelling, according to Variety.