16 Aug IEFTA Alumni Zahraa Ghandour selected for Points North Fellowship
An announcement today from the Points North Institute provided a major career boost to a diverse group of documentary filmmakers, including one IEFTA Alumni, Zahraa Ghandour (Iraq), who has been been selected for the Points North Fellowship with her project “Women of my Life”. The institute, which puts on the prestigious Camden International Film Festival that will be held in mid-September this year, revealed the filmmakers and projects chosen for four of its 2023 Artists Programs.
Zahraa was originally selected for IEFTA Mentorship at the El Gouna Film Festival Cinegouna Springboard Platform back in 2021.
Full press article available here.
Women of My Life
EGYPT
Directed and Produced by Zahraa Ghandour
Co-Produced by Hanna Markkanen
In this intimate documentary, Zahraa Ghandour confronts the pervasive violence against and devaluation of women in her country. Armed with camera, questions and interview skills, Zahraa looks into the past in order to imagine a different future. Spurred by her own experience of shame, confusion and terror, she mines the dark reality of women’s lives in Baghdad for the light of understanding.
Born in the home of a Baghdad midwife, actor/director Zahraa witnessed violence against women from early on. In a dreamy journey today, she interrogates the past in search of a lost girl, confronts lifelong fears and nightmares, and works with other women to imagine a better future.
(DOCUMENTARY FEATURE)
Zahraa Ghandour (Iraq)
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
Zahraa is a filmmaker, actor and women’s rights activist based in Baghdad. Inspired by her work as a writer, TV presenter and director of a weekly social documentary series, she began directing and producing projects for UNDP, Al Araby TV, BBC Arabic and Breakthrough Media Productions, as well as for herself.
Thanks to her visibility and presence, she was asked to act, and quickly began winning international awards. Her break out roles include the lead in the feature “Baghdad in My Shadow” and supporting work in “Baghdad Central“, a series for Channel 4.
Today, Zahraa works as TV producer, writer and presenter at the Iraqi channel UTV, where she developed the weekly series “Small Communities”, in which social issues are addressed from the perspective of Iraqi youth.