Duhok International Film Festival

The Duhok International Film Festival is an annual celebration of cinema held in Duhok, located in the Kurdistan Region. This vibrant event showcases a diverse range of innovative films, highlighting artistic talents from Kurdish cinema and beyond. The festival's mission is to foster cultural exchange and uphold human values, providing an essential platform for both Kurdish and global filmmakers to share their work.

Organized by the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Culture and Youth, alongside the General Directorate of Culture and Arts of Duhok City and the Cinema Directorate of Duhok, the festival also enjoys support from mîtosfilm Berlin. This collaboration results in a diverse film program that attracts audiences from various backgrounds.

The film lineup is rich and varied, featuring fiction features, documentaries, and shorts from around the globe. The World Cinema section welcomes narrative fiction features, documentaries, and short films from international filmmakers. Meanwhile, the Kurdish Cinema section shines a spotlight on films from Kurdish-speaking regions such as Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria. Each year, the festival also focuses on a different country to encourage networking and collaborations among filmmakers.

A highlight of the festival is its official awards ceremony, which honors excellence in various categories. Prizes are awarded for the best international feature-length film, best international documentary, best international short film, and several categories specific to Kurdish cinema, such as best Kurdish feature film, best Kurdish director, best Kurdish script, and best Kurdish actor and actress. These awards not only recognize outstanding talent but also help elevate the profiles of the winners and promote the finest regional cinema.