Helkawt Mustafa's Oscar-nominated film to be screened in Egypt

Kurdish director Helkawt Mustafa's latest film, Iraq's official Oscar candidate titled If You Killed by a Woman You Can't See Paradise, is meeting audiences in the Arab world with a ceremony to be held at Egypt's El Gouna Film Festival.

A Journey from Venice to Egypt

Director Helkawt Mustafa's latest film, which had its world premiere in Venice and was chosen as Iraq's official Oscar entry, will meet audiences in the Arab world for the first time with a red carpet ceremony at Egypt's El Gouna Film Festival.

The production, sent by Iraq as its official representative to the Academy Awards, will be screened on October 19 in the main hall of the festival, one of the Middle East's prestigious cinema events.

A Female Peshmerga Infiltrating ISIS Ranks

Starring Avan Jamal, the production deals with the epic struggle of a female Peshmerga who risks her life to infiltrate the ranks of ISIS in order to rescue her abducted little sister.

It was stated that director Helkawt Mustafa conducted face-to-face interviews with female Peshmerga fighters who battled against ISIS on the front lines during the scriptwriting stage, drawing upon real testimonies.

Releasing Across the Arab World

It was announced that the film, which continues to pack theaters in the Kurdistan Region, will have its general theatrical release in cinemas across Arab countries starting October 22.

Director Mustafa expressed his pride that Arab cinephiles will be introduced to the epic story of this courageous female Peshmerga.

A Director with International Successes

Director Helkawt Mustafa, who lives in Norway, gained global recognition with his film El Clásico, which was released in 56 countries.

His subsequent documentary, Saving Saddam Hussein, achieved a historic record by earning the title of the highest-grossing documentary production in Arab cinema history.