The winners of various competition categories of World Cinema and Kurdish Cinema in the 9th edition of the Duhok International Film Festival of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been announced.

The closing ceremony of the latest round was held commemorating Yılmaz Güney, the prominent 1982 Palme d’Or winning filmmaker, at the congregation hall of Duhok University, in the city of Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the winners in different categories were announced, with the golden and silver grape leaf statues, appreciation plaques, and cash prizes distributed amongst them.

The closing ceremony hosted the following guests: Dr. Ali Tatar, governor of Duhok, Dr. Salar Osman, deputy minister of culture and youth in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Ameer Ali Mohammed Tahir, president of Duhok International Film Festival president, Indian consulate to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Shawkat Amin Korki, artistic manager of the festival, Members of the jury for the World Cinema and Kurdish Cinema competition categories Filmmakers and cinema lovers.

World Cinema – in competition:

The ceremony continued with members of the jury in the World Cinema competition category including Edvinas Puksta, Mirona Radu, Mahmoud Kalari, Sergio Gomez, and Tahsin Isbilen, Soleen Yusef, Kurdish filmmaker residing in Germany, jury president, Shahram Alidi, Iranian producer, screenwriter, and filmmaker residing in France, Magnus Bärtås, university lecturer from Sweden, Elaheh Nobakht, producer and distributor from Iran, Mehdi Omed, Kurdish screenwriter and director residing in Sweden announcing the winners as follows:

The Yılmaz Güney Award was granted to Maryna Er Gorbach for the feature-length film “Klondike”, a joint production of Ukraine and Turkey.

The jury’s special award was granted to “Until Tomorrow” by Ali Asgari, co-produced by Iran and France.

The New Talent award was granted to “Fragments of Heaven” by Adnane Baraka, jointly produced by France and Morocco.

Kurdish Cinema – in competition:

The members of the jury of the 9th edition of the Duhok International Film Festival Kurdish cinema experimental shorts competition were the following: Marcus Tellechea, producer from Brazil, jury president, Burhan Ozkan, producer from Turkey, Muriel Aboulrouss, director of photography from Lebanon, Hishyar Nerway, actor and director from Kurdistan Region, Dr. Kawthar M. Ali Jabara, university lecturer and critic from Iraq, who announced the winners as follows:

Hussein Hassan won the Best Director award for the feature-length film “The Rain Bride”, a joint production of Germany and the Kurdistan region.

Mano Khalil won the Best Screenplay award for “Neighbors” from Sweden.

Bengin Ali and Hussein Hassan from Kurdistan Region won the Best Actor award for the feature-length film “The Rain Bride”.

Şilan Düzdaban from Turkey won the Best Actress award for “The Rain Bride”.

The jury’s special award was given to Semin Yildiz from Turkey for the cinematography of “The Rain Bride”.

Duhok’s provincial government’s award was presented to “The Rain Bride” directed by Hussein Hassan from Kurdistan Region.

The jury’s special award was handed to the teenage actor Serhed Khalil from Kurdistan Region for his performance in the feature-length film “Neighbors”.

Shorts – competition:

The members of the jury in the competition section of the Shorts – competition in the 9^th edition of the Duhok International Film Festival were the following: Jenifer Malmqvist, screenwriter and director from Sweden, jury president, Aboozar Amini, Afghan director residing in the Netherlands, Mohammed Shaikhow, from the Kurdistan Region. They announced the winners of this section as follows:

The best international film award was handed to “Split Ends” directed by Alireza Kazemipour, a joint production of Iran and Canada.

The Best Kurdish Film award was given to the short film “The Banishment” directed by Yılmaz Özdil from Turkey.

The jury’s special award was granted to the short film “Prelude of a Corpse” directed by Arin İnan Arslan from Turkey.

The jury’s special award was given to Sarina Taraghi from Iran, for her performance in the short film “Congenital” jointly directed by Saman Hosseinpour and Ako Zandkarimi.

Documentary – in competition:

The members of the jury in the Documentary – in competition were the following: Paxton Winters, filmmaker from the US, jury president, Anas Boelicke, filmmaker from Germany and president of Goethe Institute in Iraq, Reber Dosky, Kurdish filmmaker residing in the Netherlands. They announced the winners of this section as follows:

The feature-length documentary “Mother Tongue” directed by Serkew Mesgari from Iran received the best Kurdish documentary award.

“The Marble Travelogue” directed by Sean Wang, a joint production of the Netherlands, Hong Kong, France, and Greece, won the best international documentary award.

The jury’s special award for best Kurdish documentary was given to “For Justice” directed by Elif Yiğit from Turkey.

FIPRESCI Award:

The FIPRESCI jury comprises the were the following: Sebahattin Şen, researcher and university lecturer from Turkey, jury president, Giulia Dobre, visual anthropologist and critic from Romania, Vassilis Kechagias, critic from Greece. They announced the winner of this section as follows:

Members of the FIPRESCI jury presented their prize to “Pirebok” directed by Lütfü Irdem from Turkey.

Jury members of “World Cinema” competition category in this festival donated 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 International Film Festival, presided by Ameer 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.

The 9th edition of this festival 97 other films in feature format, short, or documentary, in competition or out of competition categories: “World Cinema” competition category includes 9 feature films, 8 documentaries, and 11 shorts; “Kurdish Cinema” competition category contains 5 features films, 6 documentaries, and 15 shorts; “World Vision” includes 6 feature films, 4 documentaries, and 3 shorts; “Kurdish Cinema Panorama” category contains 19 shorts; “Special Screening of Sweden Cinema” with 9 feature films; “Special Screening of Kurdish Cinema” with 1 feature film and 1 documentari, heldscreened in Docember 1 to 8, 2022.

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