We came, we saw, we watched films… and got lost in Katara a little bit. This weekend saw the second Doha Tribeca Film Festival being held in the city, with celebs, premieres and workshops taking place over the five days. Surely, by now, Doha’s biggest annual event?With names like Robert De Niro rolling into town (he’s the co-founder of Tribeca Enterprises), it’s hard to argue otherwise. Time Out got to speak with the man himself on the red carpet ahead of the premiere of his movie, Stone. Why did he think a festival of this nature is important to the Middle East? ‘It’s good for relations,’ he told us, as part of his brief, slightly jetlagged answer, going on to explain how the educational side is helping to nurture regional talent. He then told us a bit about Stone, and how he spent time in a real prison to help him understand the role of a down-beaten parole officer (not a cheery film, then). When asked which of his vast body of work he was most proud of, he smiled: ‘My kids!’ And seeing as he must like the region so much, would he ever consider making a film here? He shrugged, ‘Yeah… you never know.’There were quite a few other names popping in and out of Doha during the festival – stars, directors, writers and special effects gurus among them. Salma Hayek Pinault, Slumdog Millionaire’s Frieda Pinto, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star (turned highly acclaimed director) Nick Moran, comedian Ahmed Ahmed, composer Nitin Sawhney and Kevin Spacey were among those on Time Out’s meet and greet list. ‘Very cool,’ said Spacey when we asked him what he thought of Doha, at the festival to host workshops and show his new film, Casino Jack. ‘I think what Doha is doing in this festival is really embracing Arabic films,’ he added, going on to explain that it shows people how to become part of a creative industry when before they may have not have had that opportunity. He also let slip that he may bring his Sam Mendes-directed stage production of Richard III to the region. When will that be? As soon as we know, you will too.And, of course, there were the films – from Outside the Law on the opening night, to The First Grader at the close, there was plenty to see (we’re still surprised all that sitting down made us so tired). There were awards too, with Hawi taking the festival’s first ever Best Arab Film prize, Josef Fares winning the Best Arab Film-maker award for Balls, and Missing earning Best Arab Short. Closing film The First Grader and Grandma, A Thousand Times won the audience awards for the best narrative and documentary films. We also enjoyed the new initiatives, like the Family Day (Friday) and the first TEDx event to take place in Doha, featuring guest speakers such as special effects guru Matt Aitken talking about his work on Avatar, King Kong and Lord of the Rings, and young Qatari film-maker Ahmed Al Baker, whose first feature, The Package Volume 1, will debut in December.And what a venue. The festival provided the first opportunity for us to fully explore Katara, the city’s new Cultural Village, with its mix of galleries, restaurants, theatres and screening rooms, all situated along the Gulf. It’s pretty spread out and takes a while to navigate, so if you are in a rush to get to a screening, make sure you leave in plenty of time. Roll on 2011!For more info on the event, go to FeaturesFeaturesNewsNews, Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.