Some pictures from Doha Tribeca Film Festival 2009 Opening Night, Qatar Museum of Islamic Art, 29 October 2009.
More complete pictures can be found in my facebook
DTFF 2009 Opening Night
Monthly Archives: October 2009
Berani Bermimpi
“Kuberi tahu satu rahasia besar padamu Kawan
Buah paling manis dari berani bermimpi
Adalah kejadian-kejadian menakjubkan
Dalam perjalanan menggapainya”
(“Mimpi-mimpi Lintang, by Andrea Hirata)
Berada di sini. Semuanya berawal dari mimpi. Mimpi akan bekerja di luar. Mimpi travelling ke daerah-daerah baru. Mimpi menyekolahkan anak ke international school. Mimpi meningkatkan taraf hidup.
Tapi bukan sekedar mimpi. Melainkan tujuan yang harus dicapai, dengan perencanaan dan motivasi mencapainya. Dalam perjalanan menuju ke sini dan selama berada di sini, aku meyakini kebenaran frasa di atas mengenai kejadian-kejadian menakjubkan yang mengiringinya. Tak selalu manis, bahkan bisa sangat pahit. Tapi itulah buah termanis dari keberanian bermimpi untuk bisa berada di sini!
“Bermimpilah dan Tuhan akan memeluk mimpi-mimpi kita” (Arai)
—– English ———-
“Let me tell you a great secret my friend
The sweetest fruits of daring to dream
Are amazing events
In pursuit of the dream”
( “Lintang’s Dreams, by Andrea Hirata)
Being in here. It all started from a dream. The dream to work overseas. The dream to travel to new areas. The dream to send children to international school. The dream of improving standard of living .
But it’s not just a dream. But a goal that should be achieved, with the planning and motivation to achieve. On the journey to here and while being here, I believe the truth of the above phrases about the amazing events that accompanied. Not always sweet, even very bitter. But that’s the sweetest fruit of the courage to dream to be here!
“Dream and the Lord will embrace our dreams” (Arai)
Doha Tribeca Film Festival
Just about a week to Doha Tribeca Film Festival, October 29 – Nov 1, 2009!
From its website:
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival will offer an unprecedented opportunity to celebrate cinema, culture, education and community in Qatar. Established and emerging filmmakers, entertainment industry luminaries and the Qatari community will come together in Doha, Qatar’s capital, to take part in an exciting cultural exchange of ideas.
From October 29 to November 1, 2009, filmmakers and shakers from around the world will be welcomed to the stunning festival hub, the year-old Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
In our launch year, DTFF is curating a program slate of 30 feature films, highlighting internationally acclaimed Arab films, plus the best of Hollywood, Bollywood, family films, documentaries, animation and world cinema.
Although we’re not a competition festival this year, DTFF will host an exciting awards ceremony and filmmaker prizes on closing night.
We’re also seriously committed to all year round film appreciation and education. During the festival itself, public workshops and panels will create a unique experience.
While most of the DTFF film festival action will take place at the Museum of Islamic Art and its vast grounds, the cinema buzz will extend to Souk Waqif, hotspot hotels such as the W and Four Seasons, and other choice venues around Doha.
DTFF is a unique partnership between Qatar Museum Authority (QMA) and New York’s Tribeca Film Festival. On QMA’s side is Chair, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QMA’s CEO Abdulla Al Najjar and DTFF Executive Director Amanda Palmer. On Tribeca’s side, are the festival founders, acclaimed Hollywood producer Jane Rosenthal, entrepreneur Craig Hatkoff, and iconic actor, Robert De Niro.
While uniquely Qatari in its identity, DTFF is modeled on the success of Tribeca Film Festival’s dedication to engage the local community and promote and support filmmaking talent.
Visit us regularly at DohaTribecaFilm.com to find a captivating and continually updated collection of videos, photographs and stories about our filmmakers, burgeoning film community, regional workshops and more. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.
Buying a Ticket
STEPS:
1. Visit our film guide and our schedule to pick the films you want to watch.
2. Register for a BLUE BADGE.
3. Visit our box offices at the Cinema center on the 3rd floor of City Center, the Souk, or the Museum of Islamic Art to buy your tickets.
PRICES
All ticketed events: QR 30 (or just QR 10 each when you present your BLUE BADGE).
BOX OFFICE LOCATIONS & HOURS
Buy your tickets and register for a BLUE BADGE at any of these locations!
Grand Cinecentre Box Office and City Centre, West Bay
Friday, October 16 – Thursday, October 29
Saturday-Thursday: 12:00pm-10:00pm
Friday: 2:00pm-10:00pm
Museum of Islamic Art Box Office
(located in the museum atrium)
Friday, October 16 – Thursday, October 29
Saturday-Monday: 10:30am-5:30pm*
Wednesday-Thursday: 10:30am-5:30pm*
Fridays: 2:00pm-8:00pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
* MIA front gates close at 4:45 PM
The DTFF Mobile Box Office
From Friday, October 16, to Sunday, November 1, the DTFF bus — which features our Mobile Box Office — will be selling tickets throughout Doha.
Check out the DTFF bus schedule to know where the bus will be parked in the coming days
Batik Night 2009
A tribute to earthquake victims in West Sumatera Indonesia. A similar occasion to be held in Indonesian Embassy on 23 October 2009, 19.00pm – 22.00pm.
Zikreet and Dukhan Beach
Zikreet Beach coordinate: 25 28’20.6″N 50 50’51.0″E
(follow a tarmac road from Zikreet Interchange for about 3-4 km), turn left to any track you wish leading to the beach.)
Dukhan Beach coordinate: 25 24’55.6″N 50 45’31.5″E
(approaching Dukhan take a side road to the right – with McD and commercial complex at your right), enter roundabout, go straight,follow a sign to Dukhan Beach, enter roundabout and take a right turn, from here the beach is about 2.8km. FOllow the beach sign, go straight to the next 2 roundabouts passing QP Office/Admin Area, at the third roundabout near the beach you can either turn right to take your car into sandy area, or turn left to a sideroad parking area before Dukhan Sailing Club. The beach after this club is also worth trying)
Umm Bab
Umm Bab is the capital city of the municipality of Jariyan al Batnah in Qatar, located 25 km south of Dukhan. Because the municipality is located in the south of the country, it is the only municipality that borders foreign territory (Saudi Arabia). Domestically, Jariyah al Batnah borders the following municipalities: Al Jumaliyah – north, Ar Rayyan – northeast, and Al Wakrah – east. To the west, the municipaly borders with The Persian Gulf.
From Dukhan, Umm Bab is 25 km to south accessed through an excellent road passing many Qatar Petroleum (QP) onshore oil facilities. Along the road are many local road accesses to QP fields or stations. Speed limit is 100km however no speed cameras are installed. Photography and video are prohibited along the road, so there isn’t so much I can offer in regards to how the road looks.
If you follow through Dukhan – Umm Bab to the south, you will reach Salwa Road (after about 37 km from Umm Bab) leading to Bu Samra Qatar/Saudi borders. Another road is linking Umm Bab to Doha southeasterly to (again) Salwa Road for 39 km.
With estimated population is estimated at 6,300 in 2004, there aren’t so much to explore in Umm Bab. Cement Factory (Qatar National Cement Company) is the most prominent landmark in Umm Bab. The factory is located at the left side of the road from Dukhan, can be accessed through a roundabout and an underpass.
Other landmark is Palm Tree Beach, named after the small cluster of palm trees at the end of the road alongside the small breakwater.
Umm Bab literally means Bab’s Mother.
Coordinate: 25 12’20.54”N 50 48’04.49”E
Zikreet Fort ruins
This fort ruin lies on the Zikreet beach, some 6 km off Doha – Dukhan highway. To reach this fort, follow Doha – Dukhan Highway until you see Zikreet interchange sign, about 7 km before Dukhan. Turn right and follow 5.5-km asphalted road (measured from roundabout at turnoff) straight all the way to a village (marked by a mosque on the left and Arabic tents on the right). Continue your driving beyond asphalted road and follow any one of the (desert) tracks that lead you to the fort ruins. The ruins are located about 100-200m from the shore.
Coordinate: 25 29’24.3″N 50 50’40.0″E
Simaisma (and Simaisma Mosque)
Simaisma is a small and sleepy coastal village n in Al Dayeen Municipality, a village built in the 19th century by fishermen and pearl divers, dates back to 1938. The village can be accessed easily from Al Khor Highway, some 20.8 km from the start of highway from Doha. Turn off right after Simaisma Overpass (with Qatargas logo on the middle supporting pillar) and follow the road for some 2.4 km to reach the village. Simaisma measures of just about 1 km x 1.6 km. Apart from old Simaisma Mosque very little to see in this town. A beach is like a meeting point for dwellers but it is not quite attractive. If you walk south, and the tide is low, you can see the “hadra,” which are traditional intertidal fishing traps. These square traps have stones on three sides with an open side toward the shore. As the tide rises fish swim inside, and as the tide goes back out they become trapped.
- Simaisma Overpass – turn right to lead you to Simaisma village (Source: Panoramio by mikoykoy)
Simaisma Mosque
25° 34′ 28.78″N 51° 29′ 16.08″E
The mosque served as a place for prayer, but also a center for education. In front of the prayer room, a pavilion housed a “madrassa”: a school used to teach the Holy Quran to children. The prayer room stands on the west side of the courtyard.
In front of the prayer room’s entrance is an “iwan,” or portico, with nine squared arcades overlooking the courtyard. The prayer room is a long, carpeted corridor discreetely lit by narrow windows. The “mehrab,” in front of the entrance, indicates the direction of the “Kaaba,” the Holy Stone at Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In this mosque, the “mehrab” consists of two arches, one of which houses a “minbar,” or podium. Normally the “imam,” who is responsible for leading prayer, stands facing the congregation in front of the “mehrab”.
In front of the prayer room, a pavilion houses a “madrassa,” which is a school used to teach the Holy Quran to children. The old Quranic school stands at the northeast corner of the “sahn,” or courtyard. No longer functioning as a school, the structure has been used most recently as a residence for the “muezzin,” who is responsible for the call to prayer.
The pavilion consists of a small room cooled with “badjeer,” traditional Qatari air traps, instead of ordinary windows. This system features two parallel walls: one standing from the floor to halfway up and the second hanging halfway down from the ceiling. The walls overlap by 10 cm, with breathing room left between. Although this method shelters the room from external view, it allows wind to enter without bringing in sediment. When necessary, the space between the two wall panels can be closed with a wooden shutter.
Besides the Quranic school, a steep staircase climbs up to the minaret, which was built on top of the school. The top of the minaret is shaped as a “khodha,” a traditional Arabian helmet. The thick walls of the mosque, which help keep the mosque cool, were built by overlapping raw pieces of coral rock and limestone. The roof was finished with a layer of compressed mud, which further protects the mosque from the sun during the hot seasons.
Aware of the importance of this traditional building, Qatari authorities took steps to preserve it in 1985 and 2004.
Note:
1. Description of Simaisma mosque is taken from Heritage of Qatar website
2. All pictures are personal documentation unless otherwise stated
flydubai – Budget airline to begin Doha-Dubai flight
Dubai’s low cost airline, flydubai, is connecting Doha twice daily from October 18, the first GCC destination for the government-owned carrier. The airline is offering a one-way fare to Dubai, from QR165, which includes all taxes and a piece of hand baggage weighing up to 10kg. Tickets are available for purchase from the website (flydubai.com), call centre in Dubai (+9714-3010800) and travel agents from today.
Gaith al-Gaith, flydubai chief executive officer, said passengers have the option to purchase checked-in baggage in advance at just QR40 for the first piece and QR100 for the second, weighing up to 32 kg, subject to
availability. A nominal payment of QR5 allows customers to select their seat and just QR50 secures the extra legroom positions. Bookings can be changed for a small fee, plus any difference in the fare, and food and drink can be
purchased on board.
“The flydubai model is simple, with customers paying only for the services they want to receive,” he said.
Both flights from and to Doha will target peak travel times on one of the busiest routes in the GCC. FZ002 will leave Doha at 8:30am, with the evening flight FZ008 leaving at 9:20pm. The flight time to Dubai is one hour.
Return flights FZ001 and FZ007 will leave Dubai at 7:30am and 8:20pm respectively, arriving in Doha at 7:30am and 8:20pm (local time). The number of economy class seats on the flydubai aircraft will be 189.
Al-Gaith said the low-cost carrier planned to fly to 12 destinations before the year-end.
He said, “We have plans to fly to India, Pakistan and some other countries which are all within a four hour flying time from Dubai.”
“flydubai has worked closely with the Qatari authorities to bring about this announcement and I would like to thank them, and especially Abdul Aziz Mohamed al-Noaimi, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, for their hard work and support.” Al-Noaimi said, “flydubai will be a great addition to the existing flight schedule between Doha and Dubai as it will give so many more people another option when travelling.
“Doha and Dubai are both great examples of successful cities that have gained international recognition. This new service will strengthen our links and help us both maintain our growth well into the future.”
(Source: Gulf-times 6 Oct 2009)
Indonesian Batik – one of the world intangible cultural heritages
BREAKING NEWS!
For all Indonesian in Qatar: Please come and gather at Villagio Mall at 4 PM to commemorate 2 October as a Batik Day, like what our fellow Indonesian in Indonesia and other countries do. Wear anything that contains Batik! Be there!
(Source: TentangQatar mailing list)
Finally, another Indonesian cultural heritage is recognized. Batik is inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Batik is one of the 76 cultural heritage that was decided by the 24 Member States of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage, currently holding its 4th session in Abu Dhabi under the chairmanship of Awadh Ali Saleh Al Musabi of the United Arab Emirates.
…….
Indonesia – Indonesian Batik – The techniques, symbolism and culture surrounding hand-dyed cotton and silk garments known as Indonesian Batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end: infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik.
…..
To celebrate this long-awaited recognition, President has urged all Indonesia citizens to wear batik on 2 October 2009. Well, the rising of Batik as part of daily fashion is not just recently. Triggered by the claim dispute with the neighboring country, one or two years ago, Batik enjoys its highest popularity. It is not uncommon now that young Indonesian are proud of wearing Batik, for going to the mall, to the office (normally during Friday), or simply daily outfit, in addition to standard uses during special occasions (i.e. wedding reception, social gathering, formal meeting).
Batik (Javanese pronunciation: [ˈbateʔ]; Indonesian pronunciation: [ˈbaːtik]; English: /ˈbætɪk/ or /bəˈtiːk/) is cloth which traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique. Due to modern advances in the textile industry, the term has been extended to include fabrics which incorporate traditional batik patterns even if they are not produced using the wax-resist dyeing techniques (source: Wikipedia).
How to make Batik?
Melted wax (Javanese: malam) is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. It is common for people to use a mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax. The beeswax will hold to the fabric and the paraffin wax will allow cracking, which is a characteristic of batik. Wherever the wax has seeped through the fabric, the dye will not penetrate. Sometimes several colours are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps.
Thin wax lines are made with a canting, a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup with a tiny spout, out of which the wax seeps. Other methods of applying the wax onto the fabric include pouring the liquid wax, painting the wax on with a brush, and applying the hot wax to pre-carved wooden or metal wire block (called a cap or tjap😉 and stamping the fabric.
After the last dyeing, the fabric is hung up to dry. Then it is dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax, or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its character. This traditional method of batik making is called batik tulis.
For batik prada, gold leaf was used in the Yogjakarta and Surakarta area. The Central Javanese used gold dust to decorate their prada cloth. It was applied to the fabric using a handmade glue consisting of egg white or linseed oil and yellow earth. The gold would remain on the cloth even after it had been washed. The gold could follow the design of the cloth or could take on its own design. Older batiks could be given a new look by applying gold to them.
The invention of the copper block or cap developed by the Javanese in the 20th century revolutionized batik production. By block printing the wax onto the fabric, it became possible to mass-produce designs and intricate patterns much faster than one could possibly do by hand-painting. This method of using copper block to applied melted wax pattern is called batik cap.
Batik print is the common name given to fabric which incorporates batik pattern without actually using the wax-resist dyeing technique. It represents a further step in the process of industrialization, reducing the cost of batik by mass-producing the pattern repetitively, as a standard practice employed in the worldwide textile industry. (Wikipedia)
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I use Batik occasionally for work, primarily on Thursday, our TGIF. The thing is some peoples don’t quite understand what I wear. Some called it’s beach shirt, or some called it a ‘weekend mode’ shirt. No matter what, I am proud of it. Be an ambassador of Indonesia!
CGK-DOH 