The second Zagros Film Festival, which started to great acclaim last year as the first online Kurdish film festival, will be held in February 2025, offering a global platform for Kurdish cinema. Featuring 20 films from different regions of Kurdistan, the festival aims to showcase the richness of Kurdish cultural heritage through the power of film.
Named after the Zagros Mountains, which have significant symbolism in Kurdish history, the festival seeks to highlight both the challenges and triumphs of Kurdish identity. Each year, the event focuses on a different Kurdish region, with the 2025 selection centring on Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhilat). Films are presented in multiple Kurdish dialects, reflecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Kurdish people.
Women directors receive special attention, with the festival actively promoting female voices in Kurdish cinema. The event aims to create a global dialogue on Kurdish identity, history and artistic expression, transcending borders through the universal language of film.
By hosting the festival online, organisers enable worldwide participation, allowing audiences from diverse backgrounds to engage with Kurdish storytelling. Simon Suleymani, the festival coordinator, emphasised that the event is not only a celebration of cinema but also an effort to preserve and promote Kurdish heritage on the international stage.
With no geographical restrictions, the Zagros Film Festival offers a rare opportunity to explore the evolving landscape of Kurdish cinema and its contributions to world culture.
