Kurdish Mobile Film Festival Opens in Sulaymaniyah with 15 Smartphone-Made Films

Vim Foundation

Kurdish Mobile Film Festival Opens in Sulaymaniyah.

The second edition of the Kurdish Mobile Film Festival is set to begin this evening in Sulaymaniyah, showcasing 15 short films produced entirely using mobile phones.

Shadman Mohammed, spokesperson for the festival, told PUKMEDIA that the event, sponsored by the Vim Foundation and KurdSat Media Agency, will open on Friday, 19 June 2026, and continue for two days.

“The second edition of the Kurdish Mobile Film Festival begins this evening and will run for two days,” Mohammed said, adding that 15 short films created using mobile phones will be screened during the event.

According to the spokesperson, the festival will present 11 awards across a range of categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Editing and Best Music. The most significant prize, the Vim Media Award, will fund the full production of the winning filmmaker’s next project through Vim.

Mohammed explained that the award aims to support emerging talent and contribute to the growth of the Kurdish film industry.

He noted that the selected films were chosen according to several criteria, with the primary requirement being that they reflect Kurdish identity and culture.

“The main condition was that the film be Kurdish, so that we can present ourselves to the world as a Kurdish nation,” he said.

Mohammed added that the judging process took into account the fact that the films were produced using mobile phones and are not feature-length productions. He stressed that one of the festival’s key objectives is to discover and encourage filmmakers who may not otherwise have the opportunity to showcase their creative abilities.

The inaugural Kurdish Mobile Film Festival was held on 5 May 2025 and was organised by the Cinema Arts Department of the General Directorate of Culture and Arts in Sulaymaniyah Governorate in cooperation with Vim. During the first edition, 25 films were selected to compete for 10 awards following evaluation by a specialised jury panel.


PUKMEDIA