Doha edges back to life
This week, Qumra kicks off online while exhibitions signal gradual return.
Welcome to AL-MONITOR Doha.
This week, Doha’s calendar begins to come back to life. After weeks of disruption and heightened security across the Gulf, events are returning, though the mood remains cautious. A circus tent opens, filmmakers gather and exhibitions resume, but the atmosphere is still measured. For now, it’s less about crowds and more about continuity.
If you want to receive this newsletter or our other new City Pulse editions — including Dubai, Istanbul and Riyadh — sign up here.
Thanks for reading,
Reve
P.S. Have feedback or tips on Doha's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.
1. Leading the week: ‘Fontana’ by Cirque du Liban
The “Fontana” stage is lit with vibrant colors and large digital screens. (Photo courtesy of Cirque du Liban)
Cirque du Liban is set to arrive in Doha with “Fontana,” a production that sits between spectacle and storytelling. Built around an elaborate stage setup, the show brings together acrobatics, choreography and visual design, transforming a circus tent into something closer to a theater than audiences might typically expect.
The performance features international acrobats working through sequences that demand precision, strength and an almost balletic quality of movement. Rather than presenting a series of separate acts, “Fontana” unfolds as a continuous narrative, with each segment building on the last. Stage design and lighting evolve alongside the performance, creating an environment where the spectacle feels intentional rather than chaotic.
Costumes, music and the spatial design of the tent itself work together to create an atmosphere that feels more refined than expected, while maintaining the energy and sense of surprise that make circus compelling.
For families seeking an experience that engages both children and adults, “Fontana” offers a performance that respects younger audiences while delivering the level of technical excellence that holds the attention of adults. The result is an immersive experience that extends beyond the stage itself.
Date: April 30 - May 31
Location: Circus Tent - Hyatt Plaza, Qatar
Find more information here.
2. Word on the street: Smat Restaurant
An artfully plated dish from Smat, showcasing its signature blend of authentic Qatari flavors and contemporary Gulf-inspired cuisine. (Photo courtesy of Smat Restaurant)
After weeks of disruption, Doha’s restaurants are cautiously coming back to life as people return to public spaces and dining out begins to pick up again. This week, we spotlight Smat.
Smat Restaurant offers a modern take on Qatari and Gulf cuisine, led by Chef Fawaz Al Omaim. Named after the Khaleeji word for “dining table,” the restaurant blends traditional dishes with contemporary touches, including chicken majbous, yoghurt tharid with lamb and Gulf-inspired seafood. Al Omaim brings international experience to the kitchen, having trained in the United States and contributed to humanitarian cooking initiatives across the region.
Location: Corniche Doha Near Rass Abu Aboud
Find more information here.
3. Doha diary
Filmakers attend Qumra Working Breakfast on day three of Qumra 2024, on March 3, 2024 in Doha, Qatar. (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Doha Film Institute)
- Qumra by the Doha Film Institute
Qumra, organized by the Doha Film Institute, has become a key platform for filmmakers to move projects from concept to production. It brings together emerging directors, producers and writers for two weeks of mentorship, masterclasses and industry sessions focused on development rather than quick pitches.
Participants work closely with established mentors and gain practical insight from globally recognized filmmakers, with an increasing focus on work across different formats. This year, Qumra runs online, connecting selected participants with international industry experts through virtual mentorship and strategic meetings, continuing its track record of supporting films that go on to major global festivals.
Date: March 27 - April 8
Location: Online
Find more information here.
- ‘Esports | A game changer’ exhibition
This exhibition explores how gaming has evolved into a cultural and economic force, moving beyond its perception as a simple pastime. The show brings together historical artifacts, interactive installations and digital displays to examine the social and psychological dimensions of esports. It appeals both to dedicated gamers and to those curious about how a global industry has rapidly emerged over the past two decades.
Date: until April 30
Location: 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Al Waab
Find more information here.
- ‘Everything was, is and always will be’ by Haroon Mirza
Haroon Mirza’s first institutional solo exhibition in the GCC unfolds across Gallery 3 and the Tower at the Fire Station. The exhibition features light and sound installations powered by solar energy and electrical signals, alongside a public artwork that activates daily at sunset.
Date: until May 31
Location: Gallery 3 and the Tower, Mohammed Bin Thani
Find more information here.
4. Book of the week: ‘The Map of Salt and Stars’
In The Map of Salt and Stars, the debut novel by Zeyn Joukhadar, a young Syrian American girl named Nour loses her father to cancer and is uprooted from New York City to Homs, Syria, arriving just as the country begins to fracture. To anchor herself, she returns again and again to her father’s favorite story — that of Rawiya, a 12th-century girl who disguises herself as a boy to apprentice with a legendary mapmaker.
When a shell destroys their home, Nour and her family join the tide of refugees fleeing across seven countries, tracing the very route Rawiya once walked eight hundred years earlier. The two timelines unfold in quiet conversation — one a tale of adventure and cartography, the other a raw account of displacement and the stubborn will to survive. A Goodreads Choice Award nominee and one of the most striking debuts of 2018, the novel turns maps into vessels of memory and longing, asking what we carry when we have nothing left.
5. View from Doha
Muslim devotees gather as they exchange greetings after offering Eid al-Fitr prayers, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Doha on March 20, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
6. By the numbers
- This year, Qumra brings together over 250 film professionals from 50 countries, marking its largest edition to date and supporting a slate of 27 feature films, 10 series and 12 shorts.
- The gathering reflects the broader growth of cinema culture in Doha, where nearly 200 screens operate across the city, according to Qatar News Agency.