The KCFC is one of Manchester's hidden gems. They come out to shine about once a year with the Manchester Kurdish Film Festival and some smaller screenings of home-made shorts, but other than that you probably aren't aware of their existence. A lovely not-for-profit organisation, the KCFC are a cultural beacon for Kurdish people in the North West and filmmakers in the region. They operate as a film company producing their own films, an educational organisation touring schools and colleges and an arts organisation arranging cultural events and screenings.
If you're into cinema you really need to check out the KCFC. They have their finger on the pulse of regional filmmaking and an excellent grasp on cinema being produced in Kurdistan and Iraq. Run by Alan (Kurdish) and Sandra (Kiwi), the KCFC has a really friendly approach and welcomes anyone from any background to learn about filmmaking and Kurdish cinema. They produce several shorts a year and are moving into full feature films, they also host a Kurdish Film Festival which was a great success last year. Held at the Cornerhouse in 2009, the Kurdish Film Festival screened some award winning shorts and features made in or about Kurdistan. Filmmakers travelled from the Middle East to give talks and take part in discussions, and an eclectic mix of cinemagoers filled the Cornerhouse foyer for a week.
Whether you have Kurdish heritage you would like to connect with, teach a class at a school or college who you would like to enrich with cultural knowledge, or just appreciate a good film when you see one, the KCFC is for you. read more