Robert De Niro in Doha for film festival

Saving the best for the last, Hollywood veteran Robert De Niro arrived in Doha on the last day of the inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival and has brought with him a fitting farewell gift.

Announcing a slew of film educational programmes for Qatar, De Niro said that a lab for screenwriting, direction and reciprocal programme for filmmakers will be introduced shortly.

The announcement was made during the second leg of the panel discussions following the screening of one-minute short films.

Though he did not elaborate on the programmes, he lauded the attempts of the budding filmmakers for making a condensed, minimalist films.

"I think it is commendable because I would never be able to make one-minute short films – not all," says De Niro. 

The Taxi Driver star will also be bringing the four-day festival to a close with a glittering awards ceremony.

He will present two awards of $50,000 each to two feature filmmakers along with two other cash prizes for the best Arab and International film.

As expected, his arrival was the highlight of the closing day. Clad in a pair of khakis and a blazer, De Niro was a man of few words.

At the panel discussion, his advice to retain one's individuality and to be led by one's own convictions was met with a thunderous applause.

The Doha Tribeca Film Festival saw acclaimed films and filmmakers descend upon Doha. More than 33 films were screened during the festival.