ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Rudaw Media Network documentary titled ISIS Made Me Lonely has won its third international award in less than a year, named Best Feature Film at the Oniros Film Awards in New York.
“Our documentary won the awards for Best Documentary and Best Story at the Oniros Film Awards, and we expect it to win awards at several other festivals as well,” Salar Raza Saeed, director of ISIS Made Me Lonely, told Rudaw's Arez Khalid on Tuesday.
The documentary is scheduled to be screened at a special ceremony in New York City on September 14.
The Oniros Film Awards is an international monthly film competition recognized by the IMDb, with a public screening event held in New York City every three months to celebrate films and filmmakers from around the world.
ISIS Made Me Lonely tells the story of a 14-year-old Kurdish girl from Sulaimani who dreams of becoming a doctor. When her family travels to Turkey seeking medical treatment for her mother, their journey takes a tragic turn as they end up in Islamic State’s (ISIS) territory.
ISIS seized control of large swathes of territory in Iraq in 2014, but was defeated in 2017 after three years of fierce battles. Despite its defeat, the group continues to threaten security, particularly in disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad, spanning several provinces including Diyala, Kirkuk, Nineveh and Salahaddin provinces.
Saeed said finding the story was"one of the biggest challenges," adding that "with the cooperation of the city's security agency (Asayish), we were able to find a unique case and work on uncovering the story.”
The documentary has received official recognition and accolades at multiple international film festivals. It also won two awards at the Global Film Festival Awards last year, received a nomination at the Falcon International Film Festival and was officially selected for the New York Human Rights Film Festival.
Saeed said the documentary reflects Rudaw’s broader mission of telling Kurdish stories to international audiences.
“The purpose of Rudaw's productions is to raise awareness of the Kurdish cause, as well as the struggles and achievements of our nation,” he said. “Today, thanks to Rudaw, the names of the Peshmerga and fighters have reached the red carpets of global festivals.”
“In the past, due to the lack of media outlets, it was impossible to introduce our national figures to the world, but today, Rudaw has been instrumental in bringing greater global recognition to the Kurds,” he added.
Saeed is a Kurdish journalist spanning a 20-year career. He joined Rudaw Media Network in 2012 and currently serves as director of Rudaw’s Sulaimani bureau.
The documentary was produced by Rudaw Media Network as part of efforts to produce stories addressing Kurdish history, human rights and the experiences of Kurdish people for international audiences.
