Message from the director

Posted on October 10, 2015

 

 

Dear Film Coleauges 

Greetings from Baghdad

After another successful festival, whose organisation defied all challenges, we feel  renewed  energy and ever-growing hope  for the future.

Seeing the happiness on the face of the audiences after watching great films has made us happy too. And seeing the promising launchings  and achievements of new and young film makers has given us great satisfaction,  and the determination to continue to support them and advise them.

We are very pleased that the festival is becoming  known , trusted and apreciated very widely, on all continents, as far away as Venezuela, Brazil, South Africa, Korea, China and Russia, as well as in Europe and the Arab world. Now that our 7^th edition is over, we continue to work hard in a very difficult and dangerous environment towards the goal of our creative project, which is to organise this festival year after year, as a bridge to the cultures of the world, and as an ambassador of Iraqi culture to the region and the world.

The Festival has become the only sustainable cultural action in Iraq. Yet over the last 13 years no politicians or parties, from inside or outside the government, have supported the Festival nor attended any of our activities. It is strange, but it appears that culture and cinema is not their priority or responsibility. We have been left to face all the challenges on our own, especially the financial ones. But no challenges have stopped us in the past nor will stop us in the future.

Finally, I would like to thank from the heart all my colleagues and all those who supported us and faced the challenges with us and coped with the difficulties of a country still suffering from war and violence every day. I would like to thank my assistants and all those who encouraged and supported us- the media, journalists, volunteers- as well as  the general public whose praise and encouragement is so important for a Festival. I would also like to thank all the participants and winners of the Festival – I wish you every success and see you next year, Inshallah!

 

Dr.Taher Alwan

President of the festival