Thirty films selected from nearly 350 submissions for the six-day festival in Manhattan
The 10th Kurdish Film Festival has opened in Manhattan, New York, featuring 30 films and aiming to introduce Kurdish cinema, culture and stories to American and international audiences.
The festival was launched in 2017 and has continued to provide a platform for Kurdish filmmakers to present their work and connect with audiences outside the Kurdistan region.
Aram Hassan, co-director of the Kurdish Film Festival in New York, said preparations for the 10th edition had been completed and described the event as an important platform for promoting Kurdish cinema and culture.
“This year we have completed all our preparations for holding the 10th Kurdish Film Festival in New York. This festival is a cinematic event, and we began our work in 2017. Over the course of these years, we have continuously worked to introduce Kurdish cinema and culture to American and world audiences,” Hassan said.
He said nearly 350 films were submitted for this year’s festival, with 30 ultimately selected for screening. The program includes feature films, short films and documentaries.
The festival’s program goes beyond film screenings. It also provides opportunities for directors and audiences to meet, discuss their work and exchange experiences. Special programs focused on Kurdish cinema include workshops on storytelling, memory, film production and the distribution of Kurdish films.
Hassan said the festival’s main goal is to create a platform for presenting Kurdish stories and experiences through cinema while bringing Kurdish filmmakers closer to audiences and the wider film community in New York.
“Our main goal is to build a platform for introducing Kurdish stories and experiences through cinema, as well as bringing Kurdish directors closer to New York’s cinema audiences and community,” he said.
Hassan said the festival has spent a decade helping Kurdish cinema reach audiences beyond its traditional borders.
“Over its 10 years of existence, this festival has worked to carry Kurdish cinema beyond local borders and, in a global capital like New York, to bring the voice and stories of Kurdish filmmakers to audiences of different nations and cultures,” he said.
The 10th Kurdish Film Festival is being held in Manhattan and will continue for six days, bringing together Kurdish filmmakers, artists and cinema audiences in New York.