World News
9th Duhok International Film Fest Winners Announced

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 9th 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.
For more details:
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World News
This is how Blac Chyna looks after removing 2-litre worth of silicone Injections

Blac Chyna has been documenting her healing journey for the past few weeks on social media, and now the mompreneur is sharing what she calls untold truths about plastic surgery.
White’s journey involves baptism, dissolving her face fillers, quitting OnlyFans, and removing her breast and butt injections.
The rapper was just 19 years old when she allowed an unlicensed individual to inject her bottom.
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She told “Access Hollywood” that her decision to reverse all of her cosmetic procedures stemmed from illegal silicone injections in her butt.
“This is a regular person that’s doing it,” White said. “So they’re getting whatever it is, substance that they’re doing and giving it to you. They’re not gonna tell you, ‘Hey! You know you can possibly die.’”
She continued, “My rear end would get like super like inflamed and it would get really, really hard and really hot. It was very scary.”
I love this for her she looks tf good . pic.twitter.com/QDu5nI3tOk
— Twin neva chase em (@TwinsAstudmuff) March 29, 2023
According to the outlet, it took cosmetic surgeon Dr. David Matlock eight hours to reverse the procedure.
“The physical dangers of getting illegal fillers are many,” the Beverly Hills doctor said. “You can have infection, abscesses, sepsis. Sepsis patients can die from that.”
White revealed that 1,250 CCs were removed from her butt, which she described as a “2-liter coke bottle all in my booty.” CCs stand for cubic centimeters and are characterized by size. According to Piedmont Plastic Surgery, “the higher the number of CCs in an implant, the larger it is.”
“The Black Hamptons” star said she has lost 10 pounds since the removal. She said, now looking in the mirror, “I see beauty. I see wisdom. Yeah, I see myself. I feel good about it too.”
Several fans on social media applauded White’s “life-changing journey” and commended her for being honest about the entire process.
World News
Killers of the Flower Moon by Martin Scorsese at the 76th Festival de Cannes

The Festival de Cannes is delighted to welcome Martin Scorsese next May on the Croisette, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion, Tantoo Cardinal, along with additional cast and members of the filmmaking team.
The film will be screened on Saturday, May 20 in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
Based on David Grann’s best-selling book and written for the screen by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the “Reign of Terror”.
Director, screenwriter, actor and producer, Martin Scorsese has dedicated his life to cinema and the Festival de Cannes has been at his side on many occasions. He was awarded the Palme d’or in 1976 with Taxi Driver, which was presented in Competition. He subsequently came back to the Official Selection on a regular basis and won the Best Director’s Award for After Hours, 10 years after the success of Taxi Driver.
In 1998, he was the President of the Jury that presented the Palme d’or to Greek director Theo Angelopoulos for Eternity and a Day. Four years later, he chaired the Jury for the Cinéfondation and Short Films alongside with the Iranian director, Abbas Kiarostami.
Since 1990, Martin Scorsese has directed The Film Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving of the world’s motion picture history. In this capacity, he has represented numerous films at Cannes Classics.
The Festival de Cannes is looking forward to welcoming Martin Scorsese and the members of the Killers of the Flower Moon team on the red carpet, which already promises to be memorable.
Killers of the Flower Moon
A film by Martin Scorsese
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons and Lily Gladstone
Hailing from Apple Studios, Killers of the Flower Moon was produced alongside Imperative Entertainment, Sikelia Productions and Appian Way. Producers are Martin Scorsese, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Daniel Lupi, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Adam Somner, Marianne Bower, Lisa Frechette, John Atwood, Shea Kammer and Niels Juul serving as executive producers.
The Apple Original Film Killers of the Flower Moon will first be released exclusively in theaters, in partnership with Paramount Pictures, limited on Friday, October 6 and wide on Friday, October 20, in the United States. The French release is set on October 18, 2023. It will then stream globally on Apple TV+.
World News
Michael Bolton Releases New Single & Music Video For “Spark Of Light”

Grammy award-winning and Emmy nominated singer-songwriter Michael Bolton releases the official music video for his latest single “Spark Of Light,” out everywhere today at 2pm EST / 11am PST. Watch it HERE. Ahead of the premiere on his Youtube channel, Bolton will go live on Youtube to answer questions from fans.
“Spark of Light really marks for me a return to my songwriting which is where everything started,” states Bolton. “Wherever that inspiration or joy comes from you just want to grasp it and run with it.”
“Spark of Light” is the title track from Bolton’s forthcoming album of original music, co-written by Bolton with contemporary writers, producers, artists and DJs. This musical collaboration with Walk The Moon (“Shut Up And Dance”) frontman Nicholas Petricca and producer Tushar Apte (Demi Lovato, ZAYN, Nicki Minaj, Adam Levine, Noah Cyrus) creates a sweet, chill and catchy vibe that sparked the inspiration for the entire project.
About Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton is a multiple Grammy Award-winning Singer, Songwriter and Humanitarian, who has sold more than 65 million records globally and continues to tour the world. Bolton remains committed to and recognized for humanitarian causes, especially through the Michael Bolton Charities, advocating on behalf of women and children at risk for more than 25 years.
Celebrating more than 50 years of contributions to the entertainment industry, Bolton won 2 Grammys for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance (nominated four times), 6 American Music Awards, 3 Emmy nominations and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a songwriter, he has earned over 24 BMI & ASCAP Awards, including Songwriter of the Year, 9 Million-Air awards, and the Hitmakers Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. To date, Michael has seen 9 studio albums rank in the Top Ten, with 9 #1 singles.
Michael became a viral sensation in The Lonely Island’s Emmy nominated video, “Jack Sparrow” that launched on Saturday Night Live and has racked up over 230 million views on YouTube. He earned another Emmy nod for his collaborations with the Screen Junkies channel popular “Honest Trailers” and partnered with Funny Or Die to release a spoof on the cult-classic Office Space which achieved Immortal Status.
With The Lonely Island team and Comedy Bang Bang, Bolton executive produced and starred in the Netflix show Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Special which has become a seasonal cult classic. The collaborators have reunited to produce Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Podcast which will air on Will Ferrell’s iHeart comedy network, Big Money Players.
Michael recently starred in The Celebrity Dating Game, airing primetime on ABC and ranking #1 in its slot. Bolton’s comedic appearances span several episodes of CBS’s hit series Two and a Half Men, the hit Fox network show Glee, ABC’s hit comedy Fresh off the Boat, and HBO’s hit series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Michael had a featured cameo in the Showtime hit series Billions and has made guest appearances on shows like Lip Synch Battle, Beat Shazam, Hollywood Game Night, To Tell the Truth. He recently performed as a special guest on the hit Fox TV show The Masked Singer.
Michael’s songs are frequently heard on Idol, The Voice, Got Talent and X-Factor all around the world. His songs and performances have been featured in film soundtracks, including the Oscar-nominated theme song “Go the Distance” from Walt Disney’s blockbuster animated film Hercules and the Russell Crowe film Fathers & Daughters which has become a favored wedding song and part of several viral videos.
Last year, Bolton represented his hometown Connecticut performing the first single “Beautiful World” from his forthcoming album through to the finale of NBC’s American Song Contest.
World News
HOODLUM announces ‘Southside Story’ + “OUTSIDE” (feat. Maxo Kream) / “Pressure”

San Antonio’s prolific rapper, HOODLUM has just announced the 4/7 release date for his upcoming album, Southside Story, along with a new single, “PRESSURE” and the arrival of “OUTSIDE” (feat. Maxo Kream) on streaming services. HOODLUM broke out on the national stage with his 2019 single, “OJ” (3M Views), taking off online due to his anxious yet punchy flow and subsequently landing on the soundtrack for the horror film, Random Acts of Violence later that year. In June 2021, visual artist Colton Valentine painted a mural of the rapper adjacent to a memorial of Nipsey Hussle, solidifying HOODLUM’s spot as a San Antonio Star.
Maxo Kream caught onto HOODLUM’s wave in 2021, jumping on “OUTSIDE” which helped HOODLUM subsequently garner the attention of No Jumperwho reached out to book him an interview on the podcast. His laidback flow, off kilter cadence, and an ear for deep and bass heavy beats has set HOODLUM apart as an emcee with a sound that’s uniquely his own. In the words of Pitchfork, “No rapper in Texas right now has a better beat selection than San Antonio’s HOODLUM. The South Side rapper can lay his croaky delivery over any type of instrumental: a soul sample, trendy minimalist Texas production, or a Bay Area funky flip.”
HOODLUM is now gearing up to tell his complete life story through his debut album, Southside Story with features including Maxo Kream, Paul Wall, Valee and Doeman. Southside Story features HOODLUMrapping with his signature low-key Texan flair over an impressive array of beats ranging from G-Funk to hard-hitting Southern Trap to Boom-Bap with a select few star features to match.
Fresh off the release of LOST FILES 2 in January, HOODLUM is continuing to expand upon his dynamic sound with his forthcoming debut album, Southside Story. The upcoming project is a strong statement from HOODLUM, as he boasts about his lifestyle and shares introspective reflections on his past life. In his new single “PRESSURE”, HOODLUM showcases his punchy flow and unique delivery over a mesmerizing piano loop and stuttering hi-hats. On “OUTSIDE” with Maxo Kream, the duo show off their undeniable chemistry as they exchange magnetic verses over the bouncy production, with HOODLUM handling the striking hook. Boasting features from Texas Hip-Hop icon Paul Wall, Maxo Kream, Valee and Doeman, the album as a whole helps to showcase HOODLUM’s diverse sound, expressive lyricism and croaky flows – all with an unapologetically southern style.
Please find links to pre-save Southside Story and stream “PRESSURE” & “OUTSIDE” (feat. Maxo Kream) below and stay tuned for more announcements to come:
SOUTHSIDE STORY – OUT 4/7
PRE-SAVE
02. BLUE FACE
03. ON MY MIND
04. SOMETHIN’ 2 SAY
05. FAMILY FEUD
06. GROOVE
07. CASH $
08. HOOD BITCH
09. OUTSIDE (feat. Maxo Kream)
10. PRESSURE
11. MONEY TALK
12. BELLY
13. DOPE SELLS
14. CROOKED (feat. Paul Wall)
15. HAUNTED (feat. Valee)
16. I’VE BEEN MOVIN’
17. SMILE (feat. Doeman)
18. GRAVE DIGGER
19. 28 SHOTS FREESTYLE
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