Short film charting Qatar’s football history wins big at Italian festival

‘From Here To Anywhere: The Story of Football in Qatar’ won the prestigious Best Short Film award at the 43rd Paladino d’Oro Sports Film Festival in Agrigento, Italy. 

The film, produced by Qatar Museums for Qatar’s 3-2-1 Olympic Sports Museum, was the first-ever film from Qatar to be accepted at the renowned film festival in Sicily, which screened over 150 films representing 40 nations. 

Upon accepting the award, the film’s director Justin Kramer thanked Qatar Museums, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic Sports Museum, the cast, and the crew. 

“Leading up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, there was a global misconception about the country not having a football culture. It was a tremendous honor to work on this film and share the rich history of football in Qatar with the world.

“I had the pleasure to meet and work with many of the original Qatar National Team players from the historic 1970s and 1980s squads that participated in the FIFA Youth World Cup and even the Olympics — and learn their stories. It was inspiring for me, and I knew this story needed to be told.

“Thanks to Qatar Museums, The Film House and I were given the opportunity to do so. Winning the Best Short Film award at the Paladino d’Oro was fantastic and a testament to the strength and importance of the story. This is an award and an experience that I’ll cherish forever,” said Kramer. 

The film ‘From Here To Anywhere: The Story of Football in Qatar’ can be seen on the official Qatar Museums YouTube channel here.