Mohamed AL Daradji

Jury Member

Born in Baghdad, Mohamed Al Daradji is a writer, director and producer. Premiering at leading film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival, the Berlinale, the Abu Dhabi International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, his narrative feature films and documentaries won numerous prestigious prizes, including the Amnesty and Peace Prize, BIFA, NETPAC, and the Asia Pacific Screen Academy Award. He was also granted Variety’s Middle Eastern Filmmaker of the Year Award in 2010. Al Daradji’s first feature film Ahlaam (2003) represented Iraq for Oscar and Golden Globe consideration in 2007. His films Son of Babylon (2010) and The Journey (2017) were Iraq’s official entries for the 83rd and 90th Academy Awards respectively. Alongside his work as a filmmaker, Al Daradji established The Iraqi Independent Film Center (IIFC) in order to cultivate an independent spirit and approach for feature films and shorts for both experienced and emerging filmmakers.

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