Paper Tiger to get MENA premiere at Doha Film Festival

James Gray's thriller Paper Tiger will have its first showing in the Middle East and North Africa at the Doha Film Festival.

The festival, which runs from Nov. 19 to 27, has unveiled its Gala Screenings and Special Screenings programmes, with Gray's film set for its MENA premiere — MENA is shorthand for the Middle East and North Africa — as reported by Variety. Gala slots at Doha are reserved for regional premieres by established directors or major productions.

Paper Tiger is set in 1980s New York. It follows two brothers whose chase for the American Dream pulls them into the orbit of the Russian mafia.

The film stars Miles Teller, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, according to IndieWire. All three lead a story rooted in family loyalty, money and crime. No verdict here. The plot is the selling point.

Doha will be the next stop after New York. Paper Tiger is the opening-night film of the 2026 New York Film Festival, where it will have its North American premiere, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. That opening-night screening will play in 35mm, a traditional film format prized for its warm, grainy look.

The Doha selection carries a local link. Paper Tiger, along with Furies and Artou, was supported by the Film Committee at Media City Qatar. The festival is led by Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, chief executive of the Doha Film Institute and director of the festival.

The wider Doha programme mixes competitions with an out-of-competition slate that includes gala premieres and family screenings. Its international feature line-up includes 15 films from four continents, with 11 supported by the Doha Film Institute and seven directed by women, according to the Doha Film Institute.

For fans, this means a fast festival journey. A New York opening in 35mm, then a gala bow in Doha a few weeks later.