ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Sixth Kobani International Film Festival opened on Friday in Bochum, Germany with the goal of building a bridge between Kurdish and world cinema.
The festival hopes “to become a bridge between Kurdish and international cinema. When we see that films have come from 127 countries… foreign directors come and attend and watch the films, they get to know our Kurdish culture,” said festival organizer Biter Ali.
More than 1,100 films were submitted from 127 countries, including Kurdish, Iranian, and Italian entries. Of those, 29 were shortlisted for screening during the three-day festival.
“In the end, 29 films reached us… After being shortlisted, we hold a meeting where jury members say this film or that film is the best and wins an award, such as best feature film, best short film, animation, actor, or director,” said Newzad Shekhani, a Kurdish Yazidi director and jury member.
Guests for the festival’s opening night included artists, directors, intellectuals and sponsors.
“This is a source of pride. We’re very happy that Kurds have entered this field and can gradually take ownership of this delicate art, which has an impact on society and people - that is cinema,” said festival-goer Salah Musa.
The festival was launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by Komma e.V., a non-profit cultural group of Kurdish and international filmmakers. Despite limited funding, it has expanded each year and gained growing international recognition.
