Nûjiyan Film Festival kicks off on May 25

The inaugural Nûjiyan Film Festival will be held in Qamishlo from May 25 to 31. According to the official program, a total of 37 films and documentaries will be screened during the event.

Nûjiyan Film Festival kicks off on May 25
22 May, 2025   05:11
NEWS DESK
QAMISHLO

The festival is organized by the Kazi Association of Women Filmmakers in collaboration with Women’s Cinema in Rojava (SîneJin) and the Hilala Zerin Women’s Culture Movement.

Based on information from the festival’s preparatory committee, the event will include screenings of 37 films and documentaries from Kurdistan, the Middle East, the United States, Armenia, and Europe. In addition to the screenings, lectures and panel discussions will also be held.

Festival activities will take place in the mornings at the Mohammed Sheikho Center for Culture and Art, and in the evenings at Azadi Park in Qamishli. The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM on May 25 in Azadi Park.

Day One – May 26

From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, a lecture titled “Women Supporting Women: A Pathway to Expansion and the Women’s Film Festival” will be held. This will be followed by a screening of the film “El Vaquero” directed by Emma Rozanski (2024) at 3:00 PM in the Mohammed Sheikho Center for Culture and Art.

In the evening, “The Sea and It Waves” directed by Liana Wernwed (2023) will be screened at Azadi Park from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM, followed at 10:00 PM by the short film “Ghalia” directed by Amira Said (2023), “The Far Mountain” by Lida Bilalbetia (2024), and “The Dream” by Kole Walt (2023).

Day Two – May 27

From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, a lecture titled “Women Filmmakers Behind the Camera” will take place. At 3:00 PM, the documentary “The Desert Rocker” directed by Maryam Ohanyan (2022) will be screened.

In the evening, the documentary “The Pasha and My Mother” directed by Nevine Grits (2023) will be shown at 8:00 PM in Azadi Park, followed at 10:00 PM by the short films “Zeman û Zar” directed by Khaji Ridor (2023), “Bilur Mindaly (IVF)” by Samih Saleh (2024), and “The Last Cowboy” by Basma Shirin (2023).

Day Three – May 28

From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, a panel discussion will be held under the title “The State of Film Production in the Four Parts of Kurdistan and the Kurdish Women’s Experience in Cinema.” Later, the documentary “A Picture to Remember” directed by Olka Chernykh (2023) will be screened.

Evening Screenings

At Azadi Park, at 8:00 PM, the film "Song of Sima" directed by Roya Sadat (2024) will be screened.

At 10:00 PM, two short films will be shown:

"As I Open My Eyes" directed by Ghazal Abdollah (2023), and the documentary "A Story of Homeland, Memories" directed by Naser Dena (2023), along with the short film "Shade of Amplified Sukoun" directed by Soha Azzi (2025).

Day Four

On May 29, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, a workshop titled "Photography Rules: Light, Time, Subject, Flow, and Post-Production Stage" will be held at the Mohamed Sheikho Center for Culture and Art.

At 3:00 PM, screenings of short films will begin:

"Hîwa" directed by Mozhgan Kavousi (2023), "Kwustan" directed by Fatemeh Bakhshipoor and Ali Bahmani, "Triangle" directed by Gino Hadi Hasan (2022), and "I'm Not Ready" directed by Ema Ozkaniza.

At 4:00 PM, the documentary "Women in Armenian Cinema" directed by Maryam Ohanyan (2023) will be screened.

At 5:00 PM, two short films will be shown:

"The Mother and the Bear" directed by Yasmin Alkamali (2023), and "The Key" directed by Sharo Sharosh.

At 8:00 PM in the Reading Garden, the documentary "Aurora's Sunrise" directed by Inna Sahakyan (2022) will be screened.

At 10:00 PM, the short film "A House Near the Sun" directed by Maryam Samadi and Ronya Shamlyan, and the documentary and film "I Will Wait for You by the Sea" directed by Yousef Rassia (2023), and "Left Handed" directed by Nasrin Mohammadpour (2022) will be shown.

Day five

On May 30, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, the workshop "Photography Rules: Light, Time, Subject, Flow, and Post-Production Stage" continues.

At 3:00 PM, the film "If You Are Afraid, You Put Your Heart Into Your Mouth and Smile" directed by Marie Louise Lenner will be screened.

In the evening at Azadi Park, at 8:00 PM, the film "Hêza" directed by Darya Deniz (2022) will be shown, followed by "Anqa" directed by Helen Gilk (2023) at 9:00 PM.

Day six

On May 31, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, the photography workshop will conclude with the final session of "Photography Rules: Light, Time, Subject, Flow, and Post-Production Stage."

At 3:00 PM, the following short films and documentaries will be shown:

"Ezda" directed by Halime Akturk (2023), "Fence" directed by Sakar Osman (2024), "Donuş Eve" directed by Dilan Ankin (2023), "Catharsis" directed by Ilana Diyar (2022), and "Paths" directed by Azhin Kawa (2023).

At 4:00 PM, the film "Justice For..." directed by Elif Yigit (2022) will be screened.

At 5:00 PM, two short films will be shown:

"Sor Oda" directed by Lillian Omar Ali (2020), and "Mirage" directed by Atfa Salahi (2022).

The Nûjiyan Film Festival will conclude with a closing ceremony held at Azadi Park at 8:00 PM.

a.k

ANHA