Meghachandra Kongbam, a distinguished film critic from Imphal and Delhi, has been appointed to the FIPRESCI International Jury at the upcoming 12th Duhok International Film Festival, scheduled from December 9 to 16, 2025, in Duhok, Kurdistan, Iraq. He joins fellow jurors Olivia Popp from Germany and Dr. Kovan Hussein Saado from Kurdistan to select the recipient of the prestigious International Critics’ FIPRESCI Prize.
The Duhok International Film Festival is notable for showcasing significant global films with a focus on Kurdish culture, language, identity, and the social realities faced by the Kurdish people. It aims to promote a humanistic message through cinema, aspiring to foster a culture devoid of violence and suffering.
Kongbam, known for his keen interest in political cinema, expressed his enthusiasm for participating in the festival, particularly in learning about the experiences of the Kurdish people across Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. The festival authorities emphasized cinema’s role as a medium of expression and shared humanity, reflecting on the long oppression that has historically stifled Kurdish filmmaking.
The jury members bring diverse backgrounds to their roles: Olivia Popp is an MA candidate in Global Studies at Humboldt University of Berlin, an accomplished film critic, and a programmer for international film festivals. Dr. Kovan Hussein Saado has over 20 years of experience in media as a producer and critic, teaching film theory and media genres at the University of Silêmanî, with a research focus on Kurdish media and identity in cinema.
Kongbam, who has a notable career spanning over four decades in film criticism, holds a postgraduate degree in Journalism from Banaras Hindu University and won the Golden Lotus Award for Best Film Critic at the 63rd National Film Awards in 2015. He is also an executive member of FIPRESCI-India and has contributed significantly to cinema through various roles, including authoring the book “Manipuri Cinema” in 2021.
