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Immortalizing Memories

Doha is known for its soaring and sparkling skyline. In ‘Immortalizing Memories’, we are transported to another side of the metropolis – Ateya, a quaint low-rise apartment building. Filmmaker Mostafa Sheshtawy captures the memories of the community in the small complex, where he himself grew up, through interviews with his family and neighbours. As Doha continues to modernise rapidly, ‘Immortalizing Memories’ is as a reminder of the importance of community in any city.

  • Mostafa Sheshtawy
    Director
  • Mostafa Sheshtawy
    Writer
  • Doha Film Institute
    Producer
    Theeb, Mustang
  • Mohammed Al Haidus
    Cinematographer
  • Hala Abu Asaad
    Sound Recordist
  • Mazen Murad
    Sound Mixing
  • Isaac Calderon
    Music
  • Beniameno Merumeni
    Supervising Grader
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    17 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 25, 2015
  • Country of Origin:
    Qatar
  • Country of Filming:
    Qatar
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Ajyal Youth Film Festival
    Doha, Qatar
    December 4, 2015
    World Wide Premiere
  • Sudan Independent Film Festival
    Khartoum
    Sudan
    March 1, 2016
  • Giffoni Film Festival
    Giffoni
    Italy
    July 21, 2016
Director Biography - Mostafa Sheshtawy

Mostafa Sheshtawy is an Egyptian film director and photographer, Born in Egypt and raised in Qatar. Started the filming career with documenting the Egyptian revolution in 2011. Since then he worked in various productions in Egypt and Qatar with Doha Film Institute, mainly in the camera department. His directorial debut was a short documentary film "Immortalizing Memories" which screened in Ajyal Youth Film Festival 2015, in Qatar. Mostafa's first short narrative film is a romantic comedy called "Love Blood Test" produced by Doha Film Institute in 2015.

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Director Statement

Ateya building is not just a building to me personally and to the rest of the residents. It's home, filled with memories, friendships and lifetime stories. Living there for 26 years, it was the only place I call home. It never made me feel that temporary expat life. With lifetime friends and the close community it had.
In mid 2015, I got the news that we might leave that building. Knowing that films live forever and having the knowledge of filmmaking, I felt the urge and the responsibility of preserving the history of that building and its story, and that's exactly what I tried to do with Immortalizing Memories.