The 3rd Kurdish Film Festival Düsseldorf (DKFF) will start on April 17 in Düsseldorf. Over three days, the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia will become a meeting point for filmmakers, cultural figures, and the Kurdish diaspora in Europe. The festival sees itself not only as a cultural event but also as a political space where current developments in Kurdistan can be made visible and discussed. The venues are the UFA-Palast Düsseldorf and the Metropol Kino Düsseldorf. The festival is organized by Si Filmkollektiv e.V. together with committed cultural workers.
Opening with a film about war, displacement, and memory
The festival will open with the international premiere of Heval Birako. The film by Numan Yiğit and Önder Çakar is based on the notes of Kurdish journalist Nazım Daştan, who was killed in late 2024 in a targeted drone strike by the Turkish state in Rojava. His reports and notes form the basis of the film’s narrative, which follows the story of two siblings fleeing from the terrorist organization ISIS.
The film combines personal experiences with the collective reality of war, displacement, and loss in the region. In doing so, the opening sets a clear thematic focus: the festival views cinema not merely as entertainment, but as a medium that documents political violence and preserves memory.
Festival in the shadow of regional conflicts
This year’s program takes place in the context of profound political transformations in the Middle East. Developments in Iran, in particular, shape the perspectives of many Kurds. While ongoing conflicts fuel hopes for political change and a possible end to the current regime, concerns about further escalation are also growing. For Kurds in Rojhilat (East Kurdistan), the situation remains marked by uncertainty. Daily life continues to be shaped by repression and instability, caught between potential political change and real threats.
At the same time, the festival turns its attention to Rojava. Political developments surrounding the autonomous administration of North-East Syria raise fundamental questions: How stable are existing structures under pressure from regional and international actors? What perspectives do people on the ground have? And what role can cultural production play in a context shaped by military attacks and political isolation?
Cinema as a space for resistance and exchange
Against this backdrop, the Kurdish Film Festival Düsseldorf presents itself as more than a conventional film festival. It is a space where cultural practice and political reality intersect. The films in the program address themes such as war, displacement, identity, and memory. They tell stories of individual fates and collective experiences that are often marginalized in international media. At the same time, they create visibility for voices working under conditions of censorship, persecution, or exile.
In addition to film screenings, the festival offers an extensive accompanying program. Panel discussions, lectures, and cultural events create spaces for exchange and reflection. The focus is not only on cinematic aesthetics but also on historical contexts, social developments, and political perspectives.
Diaspora as a political and cultural actor
The Kurdish diaspora in Europe plays a central role in this context. The festival is intentionally aimed at an international audience and sees itself as an inclusive space for different social groups. Particular emphasis is placed on the inclusion of women, queer people, people with disabilities, and other marginalized voices. In a situation where many Kurdish cultural workers cannot freely present their work in their regions of origin, the diaspora gains importance as a space for cultural production and political expression. Festivals like DKFF contribute to making these perspectives visible and connecting them.
Culture as a response to uncertainty
The 3rd Kurdish Film Festival Düsseldorf takes place at a time marked by uncertainty, conflict, and political shifts. In this context, culture is understood as an active component of social engagement. Cinema becomes a place where experiences of violence and loss are documented, while also creating spaces for hope, solidarity, and collective reflection. It offers the opportunity to tell stories that are suppressed or rendered invisible elsewhere.
With this combination of film art, political contextualization, and social dialogue, DKFF sends a clear message: culture cannot be separated from political realities—it is part of them and can also serve as a means to question and transform them. All information about the festival program can be found on the DKFF website: https://dkff.de/
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