‘Golden Leaf’ Awards Granted at 7th Duhok International Film Festival

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The 'Golden Leaf' Awards of the 7th Duhok International Film Festival were granted yesterday (September 17).

While 120 artists took part in the festival, 112 films were screened. 50 films were screened in the category of Kurdish films.

Attending the festival as a guest of honor, actor Suat Usta has spoken to bianet about his impressions from the festival:

"Duhok International Film Festival is the biggest film festival of Kurds. Actors, producers... Everyone who makes effort, who contributes to this sector want to be at the festival and to be nominated for the awards.

"Both the people and the media showed a great interest. Live broadcasts were made by all sides, all platforms. They even made an interview with me in a helicopter. They were broadcasting the festival on land and in the air.

"Kurds have always held others in high esteem till today. But, we now see that the Kurd holds the Kurd in esteem as well.

"I was hosted at this festival every year with at least one film granted the prize. Therefore, I have found the opportunity to make a comparison with previous years. The people are showing a greater interest with each passing year, which leaded the scope of the festival to expand.

"However, I have to indicate that the choice of movies was a bit weak this year. Very few Kurdish fiction movies are produced. The richness of content is also deteriorating. There are, of course, several reasons for that. One of the main reasons is the high costs of full-length films."

Awards

As it has been compiled by bianet, the following awards were granted at the 7th Duhok International Film Festival:

• Yilmaz Güney Award for the Best International Feature-Length Film: And Then We Danced, Director: Levan Akin
• Golden Leaf Best International Short Film: Fatiya, Director: Marion Desseigne Ravel
• Golden Leaf Best Kurdish Short Film: Şivan (Shepherd), Director: Brwa Vahappour
• Jury Award for the Best International Short Film: Bird Boy, Director: Diogo Leite
• Golden Leaf for the Best International Film: Solo, Director: Artemio Benki
• Best International Feature-Length Film: Fresh Out, Director: Michela Ochipinti
• Silver Leaf for the Best Script: Passed by Censor, Director: Serhat Karsalan
• New Talent Award: Gold Runner, Director: Turaj aslani
• Silver Leaf for the Best Actress: Minou Sharifipour
• Golden Leaf for the Best Feature-Length Film: Xalko, Director: Sami Mermer, Hind Benchekroun

• Jury Award for the Best Kurdish Director of a Feature Film: The Heavy Burden, Director: Yılmaz Özdil

• Jury Honorable Mention for the Best Kurdish Feature-Length Film: Ruken Tekes
• Golden Leaf for the Best Actor: Saeed Aghakhani
• Award for the Best International Documentary: Cornered in Molenbeek, Director: Sahim Omer Kalifa
• Silver Leaf for the Best Kurdish Documentary: Every House is a School, Director: Ardin Diren
• Jury Award: The Worn Beak of the Crow
• FIPRESCI Award for the Best Kurdish Feature Film: Camion, Director: Kambozia Partovi (MB/SD)