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Özgür Amed
Author
Özgür Amed, born in Diyarbakır, is the author of two books: Who Ate the Kidney (2018) and Kurdish Works (2011). For two years, he taught film grammar at the Cegerxwîn City Conservatory in Diyarbakır. He has led long-term training programs on film analysis in several cities, and he has served as a jury member for numerous national and international film festivals. He researches cinema, memory, humor, and political thought, writing articles that have been published in diverse periodicals.
Bangen Ali
Producer and Actor
Bangen Ali holds a BA in cinema from Salahaddin University. He worked as a producer and production manager in feature films including Memories on the Stone (2013) by Shawkat Amin Korki, Semyan (2015) by Muhammed Jano, and The Triangle of Death by Adnan Osman, and for the TV series Ax u tax for Waar TV. He appeared as an actor in Milan Protocol (2017) by Peter Ott and Rain Bride (2022) by Hussein Hassan. He serves as vice president of the Duhok International Film Festival.
Nadia Darwish
Filmmaker
Nadia Darwish, born in 1996 in Serekaniye, joined the Rojava Film Commune in 2015. She directed the documentary Jinwar, about a women-only village where women build independence and solidarity. The film has been screened at numerous international film festivals, including NYKFF, and received several awards and honors. She served as assistant director for Kobani, Berbu, Heval Brako, and Heval Keke Min, as well as for the drama series Evîna Kurd. She is an administrator at the Rojava International Film Festival and is currently working on postproduction for her debut feature film
Arad Hassanzadeh
Arad Hassanzadeh studied dramatic literature at Tehran Central University. Since 2013, he has taught film technique at the College of Fine Arts at Salahaddin University in Hêwler (Erbil), filmmaking at the University of Silêmanî, and media at Cihan University. He is actively involved in film and drama production in Hêwler. He has translated several books and conducted research on film editing, photography, and filmmaking techniques.
Kovan Hussein
Kovan Hussein holds a PhD in media and cultural evolution from the University of Silêmanî and a master’s degree in film studies from the University of Sussex (UK). is a media scholar and practitioner with over two decades of industry experience, serving as a television producer, news editor, presenter, and film critic. Since 2014, he has lectured and taught courses in film theory, media genres, television production, visual culture, and marketing. His scholarly work includes critical research on media representation, identity in film, Kurdish media discourse, and cross-cultural film reception.
Akam Rezaee
Akam Rezaee is a visionary Kurdish-American filmmaker and VFX supervisor whose career has been defined by bold artistry.. His creative journey began at 16, when he directed and produced two captivating short films with a close friend. In the music industry, he directed and produced more than twenty innovative music videos for prominent Kurdish artists. He then made the leap to Hollywood where, aAs a skilled VFX Artist, he brings visual effects to life, blending cutting-edge technology with cinematic artistry. His versatility in filmmaking spans cinematography, editing, directing, and color grading.He has collaborated with major studios and platforms such as Netflix, Sony, Showtime, and Apple+.
Mizgin Arslan
Mizgin Arslan, born in a Kurdish village in Mardin, worked for six years as a journalist, then moved into filmmaking. She holds an MA in digital documentary from Royal Holloway, University of London, as well as qualifications in therapeutic arts, child counselling, and trauma-informed practice. Based in London, she works as a child therapist while directing and producing documentary work that explores womanhood, displacement, and family through political and historical lenses. Her documentaries A Fatal Dress Polygamy and I Flew You Stayed have received multiple awards and international recognition.She is currently developing her second feature documentary, My Mothers’ Tale, with support from the Sundance Institute.
Azad Azizyan
Filmmaker
Azad Azizyan is a Kurdish-American documentary filmmaker and editor whose work pushes the boundaries of nonfiction through hybrid forms. Blending documentary and experimental approaches, he explores memory, fragmentation, and temporality. His work has screened at film festivals across the United States and internationally.
Ekrem Heydo
Director
Ekrem Heydo, born in 1973 in Serêkaniyê, Rojava, studied camera and editing in Hanover, Germany, then directing at the Ruhr Academy for the Arts in Dortmund. He has lived and worked in Berlin since 2006. His first documentary, Halabja—The Lost Children, won several international awards. For his second film, My Paradise (2016), he returned to Serêkaniyê. A Bridge for Rojava is his new documentary.
Midya Raoof Begard
Midya Raoof Begard is an actress. She earned bachelor’s degree in acting at the Academy of Fine Arts–Baghdad, then a master’s degree at the University of Copenhagen. She researches “Image Analysis in the Age of Technology,” on which she lectured at the University of Silêmanî and the Institute of Fine Arts
Yasir Irmak
Yasir Irmak, born in Hamburg, Germany, studied business administration and completed a master’s degree in European Union Studies, graduating as a European Union specialist. He currently works in the field of information technology. He currently serves as director of the Hamburg Kurdish Film Festival, which he co-founded. Together with Kurdish filmmakers, he also co-founded Hamburg’s Avakino Film Collective, a platform dedicated to supporting independent and Kurdish cinema. He has produced several short films. Through his work, he seeks to promote and develop independent filmmaking and Kurdish cinema.
Sarina Panahideh
Sarina Panahideh is a Kurdish actress, choreographer, theater director, and multidisciplinary performer based in Berlin. Originally from Iran, she has been active on stage since the age of five,. She has worked internationally, with performances and productions in Europe, Iran, and Iraq. She has appeared in leading roles in several award-winning short films. Her performances have received recognition at international film festivals.She combines acting with theater and dance to create visually powerful and emotionally compelling performances. She brings her multifaceted performance abilities to videos exploring themes of identity, women’s rights, freedom, and social justice. These works have been featured in international media including BBC, DW, ARTE, Rudaw, and Avatoday.
Pedram Baldari
Pedram Baldari, born in Sine, Rojhelat, is an interdisciplinary artist and scholar working across installation, sound, sculpture, performance, social practice, and curatorial initiatives.. His work has been presented internationally at venues including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Documenta 13, the Walker Art Center, the Weisman Art Museum, and the Modulus Biennale. He has received fellowships and awards from the MacDowell Foundation (NEA Awardee), Delfina Foundation, Jerome Foundation, and the University of Michigan. He is an assistant professor at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Sherko Abbas
Sherko Abbas is a Kurdish-Iraqi artist and filmmaker based between London and Silêmanî. His multidisciplinary practice spans film, installation, performance, sound, and sculpture, exploring memory, conflict, and the politics of representation. He holds an MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London, Through moving image and archival research, his work examines how personal and collective memory shape contemporary life in Iraq.
Pınar Öğrenci
Pınar Öğrenci, born in 1973 in Van, is a Kurdish artist and filmmaker, based in Berlin. Her first documentary film Gurbet Is a Home Now (2020) won a special jury prize at Documentarist İstanbul in 2021. Her film and video works have been exhibited at documenta fifteen (2022), Venice Biennial (2024), Manifesta 16 (2026), Harvard Museum (2026), Berlinische Galerie (2023), and many other institutions. She participated in the Vision du Reel Film Festival (2023), the İstanbul Film Festival (2021-2-3), and Filmfest Münich (2021).
Baran M. Reihani
Director | Animator
Baran M. Reihani, born in 1985 in Mahabad, holds a master’s degree in animation. She has more than 17 years of experience as an animation director, animator, character designer, and storyboard and animatic artist. She has directed several short animations and children’s animated series and currently leads an animation team at Zarok TV.
Semiha Yıldız
Semiha Yıldız, born in 1994 in Şırnak, studied computer education and technology at İnönü University, where she developed a passion for animation. Since 2016, she has worked as an animator at Zarok TV. Her first animated film, Cudîyê Miradan, received multiple awards for its creative storytelling. She is the podcast editor for Botan International and co-founded Your Frame Company. She is currently working on her next animation.
Hazhar Mohammed
Hazhar Mohammed attended the College of Fine Arts at the University of Silêmanî. Skilled in character design, he directed the 3D animated films Ahol, Qaetul, and Maxolan. He lives in Silêmanî, where he co-founded the Nergz Animation Studio.
For the second year in a row, CUNY-TV in New York is showcasing Kurdish films, in cooperation with the New York Kurdish Cultural Center.
The showcase is scheduled to air from July 3 to August 13.
Watch the films on : NYC Metro 25.3, Spectrum 75, Optimum 75, RCN 77, Verizon FiOS 30, and YouTube
