Duhok International Film Festival
 | |
| Location | Duhok, Kurdistan Region |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Website | |
The Duhok International Film Festival (Duhok IFF) (Kurdish: فلمه فێستیڤالا دهوك یا ناڤدهولهتی) is an annual film festival held in Duhok, Kurdistan Region. Each year Duhok IFF presents new and exciting cinema from the Kurdish Cinema and beyond. The 3rd edition will be held from September 9 to 16, 2014.[1]
Overview
Kurdistan covers in big parts the region of former Mesopotamia. Being one of the oldest cultures in the world, Mesopotamia is widely considered as the cradle of civilisation, where writing was invented and the origins of philosophy can be traced back to. With its ancient, highly developed and socially complex states it had a profound impact on the development of the western civilisation and culture.
The Duhok International Film Festival wishes to return a cultural identity to this region, so that it is perceived again as a place of development instead of a place of political conflict. The fertile land that Mesopotamia once presented is now the land that can breathe quality, cinema and epic stories, growing to new strength.
The festival aims to showcase innovative films of high artistic value with a notable handwriting made throughout the world. It shall work as a pinnacle point for all wishing to learn more about the possibilities the Kurdish regions have to offer. Duhok IFF wishes to create an atmosphere of exchange between different cultures and human values. The city becomes an encounter of civilisations, where ancient culture connects with modern culture and the Kurdish film landscape with world cinema. Unique film experiences can be made and people can share their thirst for new discoveries and a passion for cinema in all its diversity.
A major task of the festival is to build a bridge between Kurdish film production and worldwide filmmaking. It wishes to create a launch platform for films from Kurdistan, taking the pulse of new tendencies and offering the opportunity to explore a terrain opening up in contemporary filmmaking. As a unique festival in this region, it understands itself as a forge for new talents and meeting place for up and coming filmmakers.
The Duhok International Film Festival is organised by the General Directorate of Culture, Arts, Sports and Youth of Duhok City and by the Cinema Directorate Duhok in cooperation with mîtosfilm Berlin.
Organizers
The Duhok International Film Festival is organised by the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Culture and Youth, General Directorate of Culture and Arts of Duhok City and the Cinema Directorate of Duhok in cooperation with mîtosfilm Berlin.
FIlm program
The Duhok IFF's highly acclaimed film programme presents cinema from around the world encompassing a range of topical and universal themes.
In 2013 Duhok International Film Festival screened a line-up of 202 feature films, shorts and documentaries from around the world including world premieres, international premieres and the festival reported its highest attendance record to date.
Opening the 2013 Festival was the Tribeca winner “Before Snowfall”, by Hisham Zaman.
The films, from 47 countries, in 38 languages, spanned the Duhok IFF's prestigious competition and popular out-of-competition segments, attracting more than 10,000 in audience attendance.
The line-up this year was selected from 600 submissions from 113 countries.
World Cinema
Each year, the Duhok International Film Festival presents in its World Cinema Section a selection of fiction feature films and documentaries and shorts from all over the world. This panorama of contemporary auteur cinema includes films by young talents alongside work by established filmmakers.
In this section, the Duhok IFF accept films from the following categories:
1- Feature films: narrative fiction features from around the world with a minimum length of 60 minutes.
2- Documentaries: documentary films from around the world with a minimum length of 60 minutes.
3- Short Films: the short film with a maximum length of 30 minutes can be narrative fiction or documentary.
Kurdish Cinema
The Kurdish Cinema Section presents a selection of Kurdish films; Feature, Documentaries and shorts, made in a Kurdish speaking region (Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria).
In this section, the Duhok IFF accept films from the following categories:
1- Feature Films: narrative fiction features from Kurdistan (Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria) with a minimum length of 60 minutes.
2- Documentaries: documentary films with a minimum length of 30 minutes.
3- Short Films: the short film with a maximum length of 30 minutes.
Country Focus
Every year the Duhok IFF brings certain talent from different countries into focus, aiming to create a network with the country in spotlight.
In 2013, the festival was very happy to present a selection of features, documentaries and shorts from Germany, such as award-winning BARBARA by Christian Petzold and MERCY by Mathias Glasner. Set in former West and East Germany, BARBARA tells the story of how a love affair is deeply complicated by the former borders. MERCY follows a German family as they move to Norway, where the dark winter months and a car accident proves to change their course of life.
The program wanted to offer its audience and professionals an insight into films that are particularly representative for the cinematographic and cultural universe of the country’s filmmaking in the past year.
The Country Focus Germany was organised in cooperation with the Goethe-Institute.
Official Prizes
Since its foundation, the Duhok International Film Festival have honored many Kurdish and International film-makers and talent. The competition and awards have raised the profile of the winners and made Duhok IFF a destination to discover the best of the region's cinema.
World Cinema Competition
- Yilmaz Güney Award for the Best International Feature-Length Film. (10.000 USD)
- New Talent Award for the Best First or Second International Feature-Length Film. (5.000 USD)
- Award for best International Documentary Film (5.000 USD)
- Award for best International Short Film. (5.000 USD)
Kurdish Cinema Competition
- Award for the Best Kurdish Feature Film. (10.000 USD)
- Jury Award for the Best Kurdish Director of a Feature Film. (5.000 USD)
- Award for the Best Kurdish Script. (4.000 USD)
- Award for the Best Actor of a Kurdish Feature Film. (3.000 USD)
- Award for the Best Actress of a Kurdish Feature Film. (3.000 USD)
- Award for the Best Kurdish Documentary Film. (5.000 USD)
- Duhok Cinema Directorate Award for the Best Short Film made by a Kurdish director. (8.500 USD)
- Goethe-Institute Award for the Best Director of a Short Film (for the production of a new film) (5.000 USD)
- Short Film Jury Award for a Short Film. (1.500 USD)
- Duhok City Award for the Best Feature-Length Film shot in the Bahdinan Region sponsored by Duhok City Government. (10.000 USD)
- Award of the Kurdish Writer’s Association for the Best Kurdish Diaspora Film. (4.000 USD)
References
External links
- Duhok IFF Official Website
- Duhok IFF Official Facebook Page
- Duhok IFF on Twitter
- Duhok IFF Official Google Page
- Duhok IFF Official Youtube Channel
- Duhok IFF on Flicker
- Duhok IFF on Instagram