Duhok film fest to highlight work of renowned Tunisian female activist, filmmaker

Salma Baccar is considered the “pioneer of feminism in Tunisian cinema.”

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The 2019 Duhok International Film Festival will highlight the work of Salma Baccar, a female activist and filmmaker from Tunisia, the event’s press office said on Tuesday.

Baccar is considered the “pioneer of feminism in Tunisian cinema.” She is a rights activist, politician, producer, and filmmaker who “uses her cinematic prowess to draw attention on the fight for women’s liberties and empowerment,” a statement by the film festival read.

Her first feature and feminist essay-film “FATMA 75” (1976) is the first documentary in Tunisia by a woman and is considered one of the most significant films from North Africa.

“By showcasing FATMA 75 within this year’s ‘Retrospective on Arab Cinema,” the 7thh Duhok International Film Festival is glad to shine light on the work of an inspiring woman,” the statement noted.

The upcoming Duhok film festival is set to take place from Sept. 9 to 16 in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province with several Kurdish and foreign filmmakers participating in the event.

The event features a host of different programs and competitions, including a five-day panel to explore the progress of Kurdish cinema in the autonomous Kurdistan Region.

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The Duhok IFF wants to establish a podium for cinematic work in all four parts of the Greater Kurdistan, and link Kurdish cinematic work to the international community.

The event will be held under the title “Tolerance,” and will feature Kurdish, Arabic, and foreign films that focus on coexistence and acceptance, particularly in the Middle East.  

Kurdistan 24 is this year’s media sponsor.