At the launch of the first Kurdish film festival in Chicago, running from 2-3 November, Ridwan Zozani, co-president of the Kurdish Cultural Center of Illinois, noted that the team had long envisioned a festival dedicated to Kurdish cinema and has now brought that vision to life. Inspired by global film festivals, such as the Palestine Film Festival and the annual New York Kurdish Film Festival, Zozani stated, “Finally, we were able to organise the first Chicago Kurdish film festival.”
Reflecting on the challenges that Kurds face by being divided between the four countries of Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria and how that affected the organisation of the festival, Zozani noted that “Because Kurdish people are spread out within the Kurdistan region, which is split between four countries, and the diaspora, it was a very difficult process.” He worked closely with a jury of organisers to curate a lineup that would resonate with diverse Kurdish experiences.
“The Kurdish community is an underrepresented community,” Zozani emphasised. He expressed hopes that the festival would promote Kurdish culture and create connections, saying, “[It] will be important to have a film festival that can help us to promote the culture and introduce ourselves to other people.”
The festival will feature 18 films spanning documentaries, features, and short films that capture aspects of Kurdish culture and pressing contemporary issues. Films include “The Suitcase“, a short by Saman Hosseinpuor and Ako Zandkarimi; “Seven Symphonies of the Zagros” by Perwîz Rostemî from Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhilat); “Skala” by Kae Bahar, the 1988 movie based on true event by Reman Shewket; “Syria’s Ticking Time Bomb” by Gulan Akrawi and Kawa Akrawi; and “Khalil” by Payam Hosseini.
In “The Suitcase”, a 14-minute film, a Kurdish refugee lives out of a suitcase filled with family memories. When he loses his suitcase, he feels as though he’s lost his home a second time. “Seven Symphonies of the Zagros”, according to Yarsan and Hawraman traditions, delves into the mythology of the Kurdish wind instrument, the shimshal, exploring its seven musical maqams and the devotion of an elder to this traditional instrument.
In “Syria’s Ticking Time Bomb”, the documentary examines the ongoing threat of ISIS in northeastern Syria, despite the group’s territorial defeat. “Skala” focuses on a woman defying an arranged marriage; “Khalil” follows a young boy’s journey to understand his father’s fate in the afterlife; and “A Dance for Freedom” follows a mother, haunted by her son’s execution in prison, who pledges to dance till dawn to prevent another execution.
Highlighting Kurdish identity and the significance of the films, Zozani commented, “For people who come to see the films, the first opportunity is cultural insight.” To emphasise the importance of visibility, he added that “The festival showcases Kurdish culture, stories, and perspectives, offering a chance to learn about a rich and diverse heritage that is often underrepresented in mainstream cinema or media in general.”
