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IRAQ-ISRAEL-FILM-KURDS
Israeli film pulled from Iraqi festival competition
ARBIL, Iraq, Oct 30, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A film festival in Iraqi Kurdistan
has removed an Israel picture from its official competition, prompting the
jury to protest by refusing to present a top award.
Israeli director Yona Rozenkier’s “The Dive”, which portrays three brothers
carrying out their father’s last wish, was screened this month at the Duhok
International Film Festival in northern Iraq.
But festival organisers said Saturday they had “unwillingly” withdrawn the
film from the world cinema competition, “due to regional complications and
considerations”.
The move led the jury to refuse to announce a winner for the best
international feature film, saying in an online statement the change to the
selection “compromised our ability to make a final decision”.
Jury president Kristian Feigelson said in a separate statement that the
film’s withdrawal was the result of “political pressure coming officially
from Baghdad”.
But Iraq’s culture ministry denied interfering in the festival.
“We have not been contacted by the organisers of the festival and we have
not been involved at any level in the holding of this event,” a ministry
spokesman told AFP.
Like all but two Arab states, Iraq does not formally recognise the state of
Israel and the countries are technically still at war.
Last year a former Miss Iraq caused a scandal by taking a photo with Miss
Israel.
But Israel has far better relations with Iraqi Kurdistan and was the only
country to support the autonomous region’s independence referendum last year,
which was branded illegal by Baghdad.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1857 hrs