Filmmaker, curator, founder: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Abdulla Al-Thani refuses to pick one. What he will commit to is this: Arab artists deserve infrastructure as strong as their vision. Intajat (a creative platform and online shop) is his answer.

You’ve built a career across cinema, curation and the arts. What finally pushed you to create a platform of your own, and why plant it here in Qatar?
Doha naturally brings creatives together, so the idea was simple: make it easier for artists who don’t want too much exposure to still be seen and supported. Intajat started as an online shop with that in mind.

Doha has become one of the most exciting cultural capitals in the world over the past decade. How does Intajat fit into that bigger story, and what can a homegrown platform offer that international ones simply can’t?
What’s happening here is already strong. Intajat just builds on it from within, making things more connected and accessible for artists locally.

The ‘Intaj’ series you developed with the Doha Film Institute reimagined regional narratives through immersive formats. What did that experiment teach you about how Arab audiences want to experience art today?
A lot of voices in the region are still underrepresented, and we wanted to highlight them in a way where people could actually see themselves in the history and the work. The first edition focussed on Qatar, looking at TV and theatre and documenting that moment. It was less about making something overly complex or technical, and more about making it engaging, fun and impactful. Something people can connect to easily. It was also very community-driven, with a lot of collaborators, partners and loaners involved across the board.

What role do you see Intajat playing for the next generation of Arab artists?
It’s about contributing to the ecosystem and building on what’s already happening. Just finding ways to support artists, especially after working in this space for over 15 years. I genuinely just love being part of this industry.

How do you protect the specificity, the Qatari-ness, the Arabness, of the work that passes through Intajat?
We don’t dilute anything. The Qatari and Arab identity is the strength, not something to adjust.

You wear a lot of hats: filmmaker, curator, founder. Which one feels most like home?
My role sits at the intersection of everything, from cinema to film to art, all of it. I don’t really like to label myself into one thing. I just enjoy being part of the industry as a whole.

Who was the first artist or creative that made you think: this person needs a platform, not a gatekeeper?
A lot of artists just want to create and stay low-key. No social media, no exposure. We step in there. There are many, but Sheetal Dandekar comes to mind. Her work is beautiful and she’s based in Souq Wakif.

What’s the last piece of art that genuinely stopped you in your tracks?
Recently, Sarah Sze’s piece in Venice. I couldn’t get it out of my head.

What’s the Qatari or Arab story you feel the world still hasn’t heard?
Qatari cinema is just getting started with feature films, and there’s a lot coming. With the ecosystem growing through Qatar Film Commission, Media City Qatar, places like Katara Studios, The Edge Picture Company and Doha Film Institute, support is shifting in a big way.

Ten years from now, if Intajat has done everything you hoped, what does the creative life of this region actually look like, day to day, for the artists living it?
It’s still early for Intajat. Right now, it’s about building the online shop and reaching more people. We took a hiatus. There’s a lot coming soon, we’ll share more in the summer. ✤

GO: VISIT WWW.INTAJAT.NET OR @KHALIFAHALTHANI ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE INFORMATION.