Festival highlights Kurdish identity, migration, and emerging filmmakers.
The fifth Kurdish Film Festival in Amsterdam brought together filmmakers, artists, and audiences from around the world for a four-day celebration of Kurdish cinema and culture.
The event featured 35 Kurdish films, including documentaries, feature films, and short productions from different countries. Alongside screenings, the festival hosted discussions between filmmakers and audiences, creating space to talk about the realities and challenges facing Kurdish cinema today.
Filmmaker Rekar Barzan, whose film was included in the festival’s competition section, said the event aimed to strengthen Kurdish cinema and build stronger ties between Kurdish artists, audiences, and European film institutions.
According to Barzan, the festival also explored themes connected to Kurdish identity, language, migration, and the pressures of balancing cultural roots with life in new societies, particularly for Kurds from North Kurdistan.
In addition to film screenings, the festival included music performances, cultural programs, and artistic gatherings designed to bring together members of the Kurdish community and supporters of the arts.
Barzan noted that the festival provided many young filmmakers with their first opportunity to present their work on an international stage and connect directly with audiences and industry professionals.
He participated with his film Dying Among the Living, which follows a young man driven toward illegal migration by difficult life circumstances. The story explores themes of survival, loss, and the search for a better future.
Organizers said the festival continues to grow as an important platform for showcasing Kurdish storytelling and expanding the international presence of Kurdish cinema.