Venice Film Festival Selects Halkawt Mustafa's Latest Kurdish Feature

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Kurdish filmmaker Halkawt Mustafa has reached a new milestone in his career after his latest feature, No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman, was selected for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, placing a Kurdish story on one of world cinema's most influential stages.

The selection represents one of the most prominent international showcases yet for Kurdish filmmaking.

Scheduled to premiere during the festival in September, the film introduces global audiences to a story rooted in the experiences of Kurdish women whose lives were transformed by the conflict with ISIS while highlighting the growing international recognition of Kurdish voices in contemporary cinema.

Announced as part of the festival's official lineup, the invitation positions Mustafa's work alongside productions from around the world at an event widely regarded as one of the industry's most prestigious gatherings.

For the Norwegian-Kurdish director, whose earlier films have attracted international attention, the Venice premiere marks another step in bringing Kurdish narratives to broader audiences.

At the heart of the film is a female Peshmerga sniper who undertakes a dangerous mission to rescue her younger sister after ISIS's assault on Kurdistani areas.

Rather than focusing solely on war, the story explores courage, endurance and the emotional burden carried by women who confronted violence while refusing to surrender their sense of purpose.

Speaking about the selection, Mustafa told Kurdistan24 he was honored that the film would debut in Venice, describing it as an opportunity to share the determination and resilience of Kurdish women with audiences around the world.

He said the screenplay drew on extensive conversations with female Peshmerga fighters, whose firsthand experiences helped shape the film's emotional and historical foundation.

Production details released by the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) further illustrate the project's international scope.

The film is a co-production involving Norway, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the Kurdistan Region, reflecting collaboration across multiple countries while maintaining a distinctly Kurdish perspective.

According to the NFI, the film will receive its world premiere as part of the Venice International Film Festival's official programme.

Produced by Hene Films, it stars Kurdish actress Avan Jamal in the lead role alongside Norwegian actor Thorbjørn Harr, bringing together an international cast for a story deeply connected to the Kurdistan Region.

The institute also noted that much of the production was filmed on location in Mosul, where Mustafa sought to capture the city's physical landscape and enduring scars with authenticity.

The director has said the project was inspired by Kurdish women he encountered during the fight against ISIS, including a female sniper whose experience left a lasting impression on him.

NFI described the Venice invitation as an important achievement for both the filmmakers and Norwegian cinema, emphasizing the festival's role as a major international platform for new films.

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival is scheduled to run from Sept. 2 to Sept. 12, 2026.

For Kurdish cinema, the inclusion of No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman represents more than another festival appearance.

It underscores the increasing visibility of Kurdish stories within global filmmaking, demonstrating how narratives rooted in the region's history continue to resonate with international audiences while expanding the reach of Kurdish artistic expression.