New York Hosts 10th Kurdish Film Festival with 30 Films from Kurdistan and Diaspora
The six-day festival features 30 films selected from 300 submissions from across Kurdistan and the Kurdish diaspora.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — New York City is hosting the 10th Kurdish Film Festival, with Kurdistan24 serving as a media partner, bringing together Kurdish filmmakers, artists, and audiences from around the world.
The six-day festival features 30 films selected from 300 submissions from across Kurdistan and the Kurdish diaspora.
Khayaal Qartal, the festival’s founder, told Kurdistan24 that the event is closely connected to Kurdish identity and storytelling.
“The festival is directly connected to Kurdish identity. As one of the oldest peoples from the cradle of civilization in the Middle East, we have many stories to tell,” Qartal said.
Beyond film screenings, the festival features traditional Kurdish dancing, clothing, singing, and music, creating an atmosphere centered on Kurdish culture and heritage.
Participants from Kurdistan and several countries have traveled to New York to support Kurdish cinema.
“I came to New York to support Kurdish films. I believe supporting Kurdish cinema is an excellent way to introduce our nation to the world,” said Payma, a participant from Australia.
Tomi, an American participant attending the festival in traditional Kurdish clothing, said his connection with Kurds began during his travels.
“During my travels, I met some Kurds and spent three to four months with them over the summer. I am very happy to be here because Kurds are very dear to me,” he told Kurdistan24.
The festival has also provided an international platform for Kurdish filmmakers.
Madiha Ibrahim, a Kurdish Ezidi filmmaker, told Kurdistan24 that participating in the festival had helped her film reach audiences from around the world.
The Kurdish Film Festival in New York is an annual cultural and artistic event organized by Kurdish cultural advocates and organizers in the diaspora.
Through cinema, the festival seeks to connect Kurdish culture with Western audiences while providing Kurdish filmmakers and artists with a platform to present stories about the history, experiences, and contemporary issues of the Kurdish people.