Blogs and Stories
Hollywood Hits the Desert
From unofficial sources, there was scattered criticism. A few of the filmmakers balked at tough content restrictions, including requests to cut scenes and high age limits for films that have even faint undertones of sex or sexuality. An American businessman talked about notorious mistreatment of foreign contract workers—information about which is blocked on some local computers. At the opening night party, in which professional dancers performed Fred Astaire-style choreography, a Qatari native expressed her frustration that the festival had opened with an American film instead of a Middle Eastern one. She fears too much Western influence. “All of these young girls, taking off their hijabs,” she said and shrugged her shoulders.
Qatar has spent lavishly in recent years on projects that help bolster its image as an oasis of open discourse and free debate in the Middle East, launching Al Jazeera English with Western journalists David Frost and Dave Marash as anchors, and building Education City, a college town with outposts from major American universities right in the middle of Doha. Likewise, the country spent lavishly in realizing the Sheikha’s festival vision, flying celebrities and journalists, including The Daily Beast, over gratis, putting everyone up at five-star hotels, filling them all with food and drink, taking them on desert tours and little shopping trips to the local souq. Attendees received schedules for the festival in their hotel rooms—pre-programmed on an iPod touch.
British actor Alexander Siddiq, who stars opposite Clarkson in Cairo Time, calls the whole thing a “great, delightful freebie.” He’s been have a grand time since he arrived.
“Doha is just like Vegas,” he says, “but without the sex.”
Rebecca Dana is a culture correspondent for The Daily Beast. A former editor and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, she has also written for The New York Times, The New York Observer, Rolling Stone, and Slate, among other publications.
For More of The Daily Beast, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.
What Are We About to Pass?
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
10 Power Food Combos
Divya Gugnani is the CEO and founder of BehindtheBurner.com, an emerging culinary media brand that creates expert-based content about food, wine, mixology, and nutrition.
How Barack Beat Bibi
Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, will be published by HarperCollins in June. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
The Many Faces of Toni Collette
Rebecca Dana is a senior correspondent for The Daily Beast. A former editor and reporter for the Wall Street Journal, she has also written for the New York Times, the New York Observer, Rolling Stone and Slate, among other publications.
The Courting of Christiane
Rebecca Dana is a senior correspondent for The Daily Beast. A former editor and reporter for the Wall Street Journal, she has also written for the New York Times, the New York Observer, Rolling Stone and Slate, among other publications.
A True Hollywood Love Story
Rebecca Dana is a senior correspondent for The Daily Beast. A former editor and reporter for the Wall Street Journal, she has also written for the New York Times, the New York Observer, Rolling Stone and Slate, among other publications.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.