Kurdish short film to be screened at Thessaloniki International Film Festival

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A short film entitled ‘Zhan’ (“Agony” in English) has reached the final stage of the competition for the best short film at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece.

The film was directed by Borhan Ahmadi and Leila Baghpira. It stars an ensemble cast of Mahir Hassan, Maedeh Fazli, Shima Molayei, Afshin Khedri, Nishtiman Rasoulnazhad and Akram Mohammadi.

The film tells the tragic story of a mentally disabled girl who was raped and consequently became pregnant. As her parents, Jalal and Maryam, attempt to abort the baby, further tragedy unfolds.

"Zhan is one of those tragic films that is both a beautiful social story as well as a journey through the realities of life. The film's dialogue makes you cry," cast member Mahir Hassan told Kurdistan 24.

“Following our participation in this international film festival in Greece, we will begin screening our films directly in Kurdistan cinemas," he added.

The Thessaloniki International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the city bearing its namesake in Greece. It was established in 1960 and is one of the oldest film festivals in Europe. The festival has a wide range of categories, including feature films, short films, documentaries, and experimental films.