After an interruption of more than eight years, the Amed Film Festival is returning to the cultural stage. From December 7 to 14, the 3rd International Amed Film Festival will bring a total of 84 films as well as numerous panels, discussions, and workshops to the Kurdish metropolis of Amed (tr. Diyarbakır). The festival is hosted by the Amed municipality in cooperation with the Mesopotamian Cinema Academy and the Sînebîr platform. This year’s festival motto is “The world lives on stories.”
A festival with history
The Amed Film Festival was launched in 2012 on the initiative of the Amed Municipality and the Middle East Film Academy. From the outset, the aim was to provide a platform primarily for independent filmmakers—especially those from the Kurdish region—who operate beyond industrial and political constraints, who work with a feminist, ecological, and democratic approach, and who see cinema as a place of resistance and self-empowerment.
With this focus, the festival quickly became a magnet for filmmakers from Kurdistan, the Middle East, and beyond. The first two editions also brought together artists who question boundaries not only aesthetically but also socially. The eight-year hiatus—due to political and structural restrictions in the wake of trustee administration—did not extinguish the festival’s spirit. On the contrary, its return is also an expression of cultural continuity and perseverance in a region that stands for resistance and change.
Diversity of Kurdish and international cinema
The national section, entitled “Rêwîtiya Sînemaya Kurdî” [The Journey of Kurdish Cinema] will feature 16 feature films, seven documentaries, and 13 short films, many of which have won awards or have already been screened at other festivals.
The international selection includes ten feature films, eleven documentaries, and 14 short films from Turkey and abroad. The screenings will be accompanied by discussions with film crews and masterclasses, including with director Kazım Öz (“Directing in Film”) and Iranian cinematographer Touraj Aslani (“Between Seeing and Recognizing”).
Sînebîr Project Fund: Support for new film ideas
Once again, the central element of the festival is the Sînebîr Project Fund, which will award prizes to 15 film projects (five feature film, five documentary, and five short film scripts). The aim is to increase the visibility of Kurdish material and to support young filmmakers. The winning projects will be announced at the end of the festival.
Opening with Yılmaz Güney and Kardeş Türküler
The festival opens with an exhibition on the history of Yılmaz Güney’s legendary film “Yol” entitled “Ji Rê” (On the Road). The opening film is the documentary “Kardeş Türküler” by Çayan Demirel and Ayşe Çetinbaş.
Workshops, panels, perspectives
Three thematic workshops enrich the program: Arîn Înan Arslan provides information about Kurdish cinema as the “camera-less center of a fragmented geography,” Hülya Uğur Tanrıöver talks about women and narrative forms in film, and Ayşe Çetinbaş discusses the production of independent documentaries.
Another highlight is the panel discussion “Fanon Turns 100” with Dilawer Zeraq, Hakan Karaş, Ezgi Duman, and moderator Evrim Kaya.
Venues and closing ceremony
The screenings will take place at the Çand Amed Congress Center, the Amed City Theater, and the movie theaters at the Ceylan Shopping Center. At the end of the festival, an open forum will provide an outlook on future film initiatives and the joint final declaration will be read aloud.