Film screening- Centre for Kurdish Studies - 'What the Mountain Remembers' and 'Cineholic'

The Centre for Kurdish Studies is delighted to invite you for a screening of :

'What the Mountain Remembers' and 'Cineholic' 

Two short films by renowned Kurdish director Sherko Abbas

Followed by a Q and A with the director.

Moderator: Dr Farangis Ghaderi

What the Mountain Remembers (25 minutes): Based on archival video footage of the Kurdish resistance movement in Iraq taken by the Peshmerga and cameramen, Abbas Abdulrazaq, Sherko's father, the film delves into the profound meaning behind the Kurdish proverb "No friend but the mountain," which encapsulates the deep emotions of betrayal, abandonment, and loneliness felt by the Kurdish people. Mountains, in their steadfastness and immovability, serve as witnesses to the struggles and hardships faced by the Kurds. They stand as a poignant reminder of the past, carrying the weight of the Kurdish people's ongoing struggle for recognition and autonomy.

Cineholic (25 minutes): This is a film about a group of friends from Kirkuk who have had a love affair with film since they were young. The story travels through their memories of this passion, during the difficult years of living in Iraq; underlined by dictatorship, war, instability and insecurity until now. The film is also tracing the catastrophes of neoliberalism. There was a collective cinema auditorium in the 1980s, which today has been turned into a garage for imported cars!

About the director: Sherko Abbas is a Kurdish-Iraqi artist and filmmaker. He was born in Iran in 1978, where his family lived as refugees. They returned to Iraq when he was two years old. Abbas studied Fine Art in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Goldsmiths College, University of London in 2015. His work explores sonic and visual memory, with a focus on modern memory that relies on recorded materials. Additionally, Abbas is interested in the current geopolitical situation in Iraq. Abbas’ works have been exhibited and screened internationally. https://sherkoabbas.com/info/