News

THE EXAM by Shawkat Amin Korki - nominated for Oscar® 2023 in the category “International Feature Film” by Iraq

Berlin/Bagdad - Currently, the world is watching rebellion in Middle East with breathless fascination, where especially Iranian women are taking to the streets every day to fight for their freedom. The protest is supported above all by the courageous questions that demand an active part in an emancipated, enlightened society. The social situation of women in Iran is comparable to that in Iraq.So director Shawkat Amin Korki tells in his award-winning film THE EXAM the story of a young Kurdish iraqi woman's desperate attempt to free herself from the socially imposed restrictions and to achieve a better life for herself and her family through education.The international co-production THE EXAM is officially in the running for the 2023 Oscar from Iraq, International Feature Film category.  Reaching the shortlist, which will be published by the Academy on 21th December 2022, would already be a great success for the filmmakers and their cause: To guarantee women equal participation in education and thus society.

THE FILM

Director: Shawkat Amin Korki Screenwriter: Shawkat Amin Korki, Mohamed Reza Gohari Starring: Avan Jamal, Vania Salar, Hussein Hassan, Shwan Attoof, Hoshyar Nerwayi Germany, Iraqi-Kurdistan, Qatar | 2021 | 89 min.World Sale: ArtHood Entertainment GmbH
 
ABOUT THE FILMTHE EXAM, by the highly acclaimed Kurdish Iraqi filmmaker Shawkat Amin Korki, is a touching drama shot against the background of a war ridden region struggling to rebuild. At its heart, it is a story about the selfless love and exceptional care of sisterhood and the fight for emancipation.This unique work bravely presents an issue that is rarely explored in Middle-Eastern cinema, of women rights and their living conditions in the region. With two female leads, Shawkat exposes a heartbreaking reality in which higher education is the only possible salvation for the weaker parts of society, a factor that is readily exploited by swindlers.THE EXAM is the second collaboration between Shawkat Korki and Mehmet Aktas, after their previous highly acclaimed work MEMORIES ON STONE (Iraq Oscar Entry 2014). The film celebrated its world premiere in the official Crystal Globe competition at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2021 where it won the FIPRESCI Critics Award.

SYNOPSIS

Rojin, a heartbroken young woman who is suffering from depression after the disappearance of her fiance, is preparing for her university entrance exam. If she fails, her father will force her into marriage. If she succeeds, however, she might lead a more emancipated life and avoid the fate of her older sister Shilan, who is unhappily married to a conservative man who demands her to be a proper housewife. Seeing that her younger sister struggles to achieve that dream, Shilan becomes desperate to make her pass the exam by any means necessary. This decision puts the sisters under immense pressure from their environment both at home and in school, as they become entangled in a huge network of corruption that is connected through all parts of society.
 
CREW

Director: Shawkat Amin Korki Producer: Mehmet AktaşCo-Producer: Foad JalalProduction Company: mîtosfilm, Masti FilmScreenwriter: Shawkat Amin Korki / Mohamed Reza Gohari  Cinematographer: Adib SobhaniEditor: Ebrahim SaeediProduction Designer: Jalal Saed Panah Original Music: Mehmûd BerazîSound Recordist: Shahram Ahmadian Costume Designer: Katharina NesterowaMake Up Artist: Karina Evdokimova

CAST

Avan Jamal “Shilan“ Vania Salar “Rojin”Hussein Hassan “Sardar”Shwan Attoof “Jamal”Hoshyar Nerwayi “The Engineer”

FILM INFO

Film Title: The ExamOriginal Film Title: EzmûnLanguage: KurdishSubtitles: EnglishCategory: FeatureGenre: DramaCountry of Production: Germany, Iraqi-Kurdistan, QatarYear of Production: 2021
TECHNICAL INFORMATIONRunning Time: 89. Min.Picture: ColourAspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Scope)Sound Format: Dolby SurroundFrame Rate: 24 Fps

ArtHood Entertainment GmbH (World Sales)Quedlinburger Strasse 1110589, BerlinGermanyPhone: +49 (0) 30 25 56 11 65www.arthoodentertainment.com