The first Kurdish Film Festival, featuring 350 Kurdish films, is set to take place in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The event aims to bring together Kurdish filmmakers from Kurdistan and the diaspora while highlighting the creative work of Kurdish directors and artists worldwide.
Daro Aziz, artist and organiser of the festival, said the initiative was created by Kurdish artists, filmmakers, and activists with the goal of introducing Kurdish culture to a global audience and building a platform for communication between artists and viewers.
He added that the festival will screen both short and feature films from all four parts of Kurdistan and the diaspora, focusing on themes of Kurdish life, identity, history, and social issues. The programme will also include panel discussions and sessions with filmmakers and cinema specialists to encourage the exchange of ideas and experience.
Aziz expressed hope that the event will attract strong public and media attention, noting that it is the first Kurdish film festival to be organised in Birmingham. He also pointed out that the organising team has experience from two previous screenings held in the city.
He described the preparation process as a collective effort driven by volunteer commitment and dedication from experienced filmmakers working closely together to develop the festival.
The festival is scheduled to run for four days and will present eight awards for outstanding films.