The 10th edition of Duhok International Film Festival will be held in the city of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, focusing on French cinema, with its president inviting prominent global movie companies to attend this event.
According to the report of Mansour Jahani, an independent and international cinema journalist, Presided by Ameer Ali Mohammed Tahir and artistic management by the Kurdish director, Shawkat Amin Korki, the 10th round of Duhok International Film Festival is set to be held on 9-16 December, 2023, at Duhok University’s congregation hall and the Duhok Mall Cineplex in Duhok, Kurdistan Region. Heralding the motto of “Mother Tongue (Kurdish),” this edition of Duhok will showcase 100 films by directors of different geographical backgrounds, in a variety of formats such as feature films, shorts, and documentaries in the two categories of competition and out-of-competition.
by Amir Ali Mohammed Tahir, the president of Duhok International Film Festival, stated in a press conference, “The festival agenda has not been that easy so far, only accomplished through the consistent efforts of my colleagues as they have been preoccupied with these affairs for a long while.”
He said, “The festival’s advisors and selection committee have picked out the best films for the competition and out-of-competition categories upon thorough counsel. Each year we try to engage the most excellent cinematic works and elevate the festival in a sense; it is of utmost significance to us that the people travelling to Duhok get to observe the region’s exquisite cinematic culture.”
by Amir Ali Mohammed Tahir said, “Our strategy is to set more prominent objectives each year and that in my opinion is of crucial importance. In each round, Duhok residents have joined the dear people of Kurdistan in the enhancement of the culture and art of this region. Our consistency in holding the festival is a triumph as this part of the Middle East has surpassed numerous obstacles and struggles, and we hold this event each year through a shared effort.”
“Another goal of the festival is to first of all introduce the culture and art of Kurdistan Region to other nations, and the expansion of such cultural and artistic bonds is vital to us. On the other hand, the provision of suitable platforms and contexts for Kurdish youths and filmmakers to produce cinematic works is necessary. Next, the presence of global filmmakers in Duhok festival leads to the creation of cultural and artistic ties and the introduction of Kurdish cinema to the powerful and valuable global movie industry,” Tahir commented.
“Our main goal is to invite a number of prominent global movie companies to this event so that they may choose the Kurdistan Region as their principal setting of their works. I hope that in the near future we get to see the beautiful and intact culture and nature of Kurdistan Region, especially Duhok through the lens of global filmmakers. Also, the economic, touristic, and other growths of the region is another motive for holding this cinematic event,” said the president.
Hassan Arif, the public relations manager of the 10th Duhok Film Festival stated in another segment of the press conference, “We announced that we’d be accepting this round’s submissions via the film portal from 10 June, 2023; after three weeks, we received 500 films in the world cinema and Kurdish cinema sections. Around 200 films were selected by the festival committee members who had attended several global festivals. After closing the film portal, the committee started to work and as a result 100 films in formats namely feature-length, shorts, and documentaries entered the final phase of the festival.”
“This year’s theme is mother tongue which in this case is Kurdish; a rich and extensive language, with numerous accents and particular characteristics. Many Kurdish filmmakers either domestically or outside the region annually produce works in a variety of languages and this is a message for them to keep making Kurdish films so that this tongue may remain alive and lasting,” stressed the public relations manager.
He added, “We have chosen France as the guest country of this year’s Duhok film festival, with screenings of feature-length films, shorts, and documentaries. France is undoubtedly one of the birthplaces of cinema, and at the moment, the international film festival of Cannes is one of the most prestigious cinematic events all across the globe.”
“We have annually received requests for the submission of children films, and this year we have added another category titled “children and youth cinema” showcasing 10 selected films that will be screened in the festival. Also, as usual, the classic cinema category of Duhok Film Festival will feature several prominent world cinema films,” reiterated Arif.
Trusted member of Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Based in Iraq, Duhok Film Festival is a trusted member of Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Australia known as Asian Oscars, introducing global films in this cinematic event.
Jury members of “World Cinema” competition category in this festival will grant a statue, a plaque, and Yılmaz Güney’s $10,000 award to best feature film, $5000 to best director, $5000 to best international short film, $5000 to new talent, jury’s special $1500 award to best short and the French Goethe Institute’s $5000 dollar award to best international documentary.
Duhok Film Festival, presided by Amir Ali Mohammed Tahir, with artistic management by Shawkat Amin Korki, and in memoriam of Yılmaz Güney, the 1982 Palme d’or winner in Cannes, is in an effort to bridge the gap between Kurdish directors and those from the rest of the world, facilitating cultural exchanges among the nations all around the world.
For more details: http://www.duhokiff.com