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Organised by Doha Film Institute, Geekend is a gathering for gamers, artists and pop-culture fans. This edition puts a greater focus on art, with stalls where artists can show and sell their work.
Geekend is part of the institute’s Geekdom programme. Its founder, Abdulla Al Mosallam, says artists, writers and animators have met at these gatherings and gone on to work together on new projects.
In the board-game area, Abdulrahman Al-Homaid, founder of Majlis Shabab, demonstrates his company’s version of Dama, a traditional game given a new design. His team also develops original games, with the aim of getting people talking and playing around the same table.
For Khalifa Al-Haroun, founder of gaming retailer Store974, meeting in person gives fans a chance to make friends and discover others who share their interests. He also points to the artists selling everything from posters to small handmade items.
Cosplayers arrive dressed as their favourite characters, including figures from Japanese anime. At the Japanese embassy’s booth, visitors try on kimonos and discover more about the culture behind many of the stories and games they enjoy.