ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish filmmaker has unveiled the trailer for his upcoming movie featuring the story of a female Peshmerga fighter who secretly infiltrates Mosul, held by the Islamic State (ISIS), to rescue her younger sister. The film is set to premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival in September.
“You Will Not See Paradise If You Kill a Woman” takes place during the onset of the ISIS takeover and aims to highlight the sacrifices of Peshmerga fighters, particularly Kurdish women whose wartime stories have received less attention, said director Halkawt Mustafa, speaking exclusively to Rudaw's Shaho Amin.
“I wanted to draw the world’s attention to a female Peshmerga out of respect for the sacrifices and efforts of Kurdish women,” Mustafa said, regarding his choice to choose a female Peshmerga as the lead for his film.
An international crew of more than 1,000 were involved in the production, according to Mustafa. The film was jointly produced by Norwegian company Hene Films, LaMedia from the Kurdistan Region, and Swedish company Chimney Pot, in a nine-year production effort.
ISIS seized control of large swathes of Iraqi territory in 2014 with Mosul as its de facto capital. Peshmerga, Kurdish fighters, served as the primary ground force and defended the Kurdistan Region capital as well as regional borders after the collapse of federal troops in Iraq.
The symopsis follows a female Peshmerga sniper who secretly enters ISIS territory in Mosul with the assistance of Iraqi forces to rescue her younger sister. The story reflects the role and sacrifices of Kurdish women during the war against ISIS, when women fought alongside their male Peshmerga counterparts.
“The aim of making this film is to show the image and sacrifices of the Peshmerga,” who he said “have been revolutionaries for hundreds of years, fighting for freedom.”
“I felt that during the war against ISIS, Kurdish women, alongside their Peshmerga brothers, also made great sacrifices,” Mustafa said.
The film’s international premiere at Venice is expected to give the story a global platform and bring wider attention to Kurdish cinema and the experiences of Kurdish women in war.
Mustafa urged audiences to see the film, saying it presents Kurdish history and culture through a different cinematic language. “It tells a story in a very different way, with an authentic artistic and poetic language.”
The film is scheduled to launch in theaters toward the end of 2026. Mustafa said major international distributors have already shown interest in the film and begun acquiring screening rights.
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival is scheduled to take place in Venice, Italy, from September 2 to 12, 2026. The festival is the world’s oldest and one of the most prominent international venues.
Mustafa is originally from the Kurdistan Region and lives in Norway. He gained international recognition with his 2016 feature film Clash, which was screened in more than 56 countries and received several international awards.
His previous documentary, The Hiding of Saddam Hussein, also attracted wide attention and became, according to its producers, one of the most-watched documentary films in the history of Arab cinema.
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