Shwan Dler Qaradaki is an Iraqi-Kurdish director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq in 1974 and was raised in a small village in the Kurdish region of Iraq.
Qaradaki’s career in filmmaking began in 2003, when he wrote and directed his first short film, “The Tin Roof”. The film was acclaimed at several international film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival and the Rotterdam International Film Festival.
Soon after, Qaradaki completed his first feature film, “The Wound”, in 2007. The film received numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the Venice International Film Festival and the Silver Hugo Award for Best Picture at the Chicago International Film Festival.
In 2009, Qaradaki directed the documentary “Kurdistan: The Story of a People”, which was a critical success and won several awards at international film festivals. In 2011, he wrote and directed his second feature film, “My Sweet Pepper Land”, which was also highly praised by critics and was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
In addition to his film work, Qaradaki has served as a professor of film production at the University of Sulaymaniyah and a lecturer at the University of Baghdad. He is also the founder of the Iraqi-Kurdish Filmmakers Association and has been a member of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences since 2014.
Qaradaki’s work has been praised for its exploration of the Kurdish identity and its unique visual style. His films have been described as “haunting and powerful” and “incredibly moving”. He is widely recognized as one of the most important filmmakers in the Middle East and his work has been credited with helping to foster a new generation of talented filmmakers in the region.
