Jodi: A new date for the start of the Baghdad Film Festival

Baghdad - INA 

The Iraqi Artists Syndicate announced today, Saturday, a new date for the launch of the Baghdad Film Festival activities (session of veteran director Muhammad Shukri Jamil).

The head of the Artists Syndicate, Jabbar Jodi, said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The preparatory committee for the Baghdad Film Festival (session of veteran director Muhammad Shukri Jamil), which is held by the Iraqi Artists Syndicate in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities - Department of Cinema and Theater, under the auspices of the Chairman The Council of Ministers, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, decided to set a new date for the launch of the festival’s activities, for the period 1-5 of February 2024.

Jodi added, "This decision came to coincide with the previous date with the provincial council elections, and with the aim of providing the opportunity for the active and distinguished participation of the largest possible number of Iraqi and Arab filmmakers and the latest cinematic productions in this festival, which is the first of its kind in Iraq.".

For his part, the director of the Baghdad Film Festival, Hikmat Al-Baydani, explained that “the preparatory committee continues to discuss the various executive and logistical tasks to hold the festival in the best possible way, and the decisions of the subcommittees, including the decisions of the committee for reading and examining the scenarios of the Iraqi short film production competition (New Cinema Spaces), which includes ten Films aiming to activate and support Iraqi cinematic production.

He pointed out, “The preparatory committee is awaiting the issuance of the final decisions to watch and sort the films nominated for participation in the festival’s competitions in order to announce them in the near future in a special statement, in addition to continuing to discuss and approve the names proposed for membership in the official arbitration committees, and the intellectual symposium on (ways to enhance Arab cinema production), and the film directing workshop, as well as the guests and personalities scheduled to be invited.”.