Festival President's Speech
Dr. Ahmed Al-Mubariq
Minister of Youth and Sports
With great pride and honor, we continue our journey of success by launching the second edition of the Iraq International Youth Film Festival, following the remarkable achievements of the first edition, which proved to the world that the youth of Iraq are capable of creating innovation and excellence despite all challenges.
The first experience demonstrated that cinema is not merely an art, but rather a bridge for dialogue, a window for change, and a cultural message that carries Iraq’s deep identity and the ambitious voice of its youth to the world. Today, as we move forward with confidence toward a new edition, we reaffirm our commitment at the Ministry of Youth and Sports to supporting young talents and energies, empowering them, and providing spaces that embrace their creativity and enable them to compete at both the Arab and international levels.
The Iraq International Youth Film Festival is no longer just an event, but has become a shining landmark in the cultural and artistic scene, and a platform for reinforcing Iraq’s image as a nurturing ground for talent and a builder of the future. My deepest gratitude goes to all those who have supported and continue to support this pioneering cultural project. We hope that this edition will shine even brighter and pave the way for building a generation of Iraqi filmmakers who will leave their distinctive mark on the global cinematic landscape.
About the Festival...
In fulfillment of our Ministry’s vision and ambitious project to build and empower youth through knowledge and creativity across all levels, and to create a capable, creative generation with a cultural identity rooted in our country’s rich civilizational and religious heritage, and to provide them opportunities for self-expression and showcase their abilities through art and creativity in cinema, we have launched the “Iraq International Youth Film Festival.” This platform allows them to present their ideas and creative experiences, and motivates them to innovate in various areas of cinema.
The “Iraq International Youth Film Festival” goes beyond the concept of mere competition, working to qualify and support young people, and aims to put them on the right track for filmmaking through specialized workshops and seminars based on professional standards. This provides an important and necessary space for interaction between creators within the country, contributes to the exchange of expertise and ideas, and allows our creative youth interested in cinema to explore diverse cinematic experiences. All of this opens new doors for Iraqi cinema to fulfill its mission, take its rightful role and position, enhance Iraq’s cinematic standing, and place it on the global cinema map.
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