Women take centre stage at Nûjîn Festival

Since May 25, the city of Qamishlo, in NE Syria, has been transformed into a vibrant cinematic space celebrating the creative and personal journeys of women. The festival features 37 films and documentaries from Kurdistan, the Middle East, the United States, Armenia, and Europe. Running through May 31, the Nûjîn Women's Film Festival places a spotlight on women’s issues, offering diverse perspectives on their stories from human, political, and social angles—reaffirming that women are not merely protagonists, but also authors, directors, and architects of their own narratives.

For the first time in Syria, a feminist film festival of this scale and diversity is being held. It stands as a cultural turning point and reflects a steadily rising global women’s voice in cinema, one that seeks to redefine women’s roles in the film industry and secure the space they deserve to tell their struggles, dreams, questions—and even their silence, when it becomes a form of resistance.

The Nûjîn Festival joins a growing global network of film festivals dedicated to feminist cinema:

In Canada, the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, established in 2001, is among the oldest festivals exclusively showcasing films directed by women. It focuses on feminist narratives and deep discussions on the challenges facing women in the industry.

In Asia, the Women Make Waves Film Festival in Taiwan, founded in 1993, presents films addressing women's issues from both local and global perspectives. Similarly, the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival (est. 1997) serves as a key platform for independent female directors, highlighting themes of identity, gender, and discrimination.

In Africa, the Ndiva Women’s Film Festival in Ghana, launched in 2017, celebrates women's creativity on the continent through films that explore female narratives, rights, traditions, and gender-based violence.

In the Middle East, Egypt has taken a prominent role with the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival, founded in 2017 as the first of its kind in Upper Egypt. It aims to spotlight Arab women’s issues and supports young female directors through screenings and workshops on topics like violence, equality, and economic independence.

Also in Cairo, the Fest Film Women Western Eastern offers an artistic encounter between East and West, presenting a diverse array of female perspectives in an effort to foster feminist cultural exchange and dialogue.

In Lebanon, the Beirut International Women Film Festival, launched in 2016 under the slogan “Women for Change”, has played a prominent role in advancing themes of liberation and equality. The festival features films focused on women's empowerment and daily challenges and honors female filmmakers, cinematographers, and actresses.

From Qamishlo to Toronto, from Taipei to Beirut, women's stories converge in festivals shaped by their own hands—spaces of freedom that reflect their realities, ambitions, and commitment to cinema as a tool for transformation.

In a world where many cameras are still held by male hands, these festivals offer new lenses—female lenses—that see, narrate, and create with authenticity and vision.

a.k

ANHA