The 8th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) 2014 UNESCO Award winning film, Memories on Stone (Bîranînên Li Ser Kevirî) from Iraqi Kurdistan/Germany was screened before an international audience in the main auditorium at the world headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Paris on June 10.
This unprecedented cinematic event further strengthens the longstanding relationship between APSA and UNESCO and their shared common goals to promote diversity of cultural expression and raise awareness of the value of culture at local, national and international levels.
The screening took place during the annual conference of States Parties to UNESCO’s 2015 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which coincides with the treaty’s 10th anniversary.
The film’s award-winning Iraqi-Kurdish writer/director, Shawkat Amin Korki, writer/producer Mehmet Aktaş, and Abbas Ghazali, also an Member of Parliament in Kurdistan, presented the film and participated in a Q&A before representatives from around the world, APSA Academy members including APSA Executive Chairman, Michael Hawkins and member of the 2014 APSA International Jury, Palestinian writer/director/actress Hiam Abbass.
Mr Hawkins outlined the unique collaboration between the two organisations since APSAs inception including the honour of acting under the auspices of UNESCO and the important APSA UNESCO Award which promotes and preserves cinematic excellence and cultural diversity of film in the Asia-Pacific region.
“As APSA enters its ninth year and UNESCO celebrates the tenth anniversary of this convention, it is timely to join together for a special gala screening of the most recent film honoured by our organisations,” said Mr Hawkins.
“Memories on Stone, like previous winners, is not only an exceptional film but is also testament to the courage of filmmakers who take their often-controversial stories to the big screen without the support of big studios or government film agencies.”
Mr Hawkins also took the opportunity to announce the first Jury appointments for the 9th Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
“It is my pleasure to announce Negar Javaherian, acclaimed Iranian actress and star of the APSA UNESCO Award winning film ThePainting Pool (2013), will be a member of the 2015 International Jury, while filmmaker Shawkat Amin Korki has been appointed as Chair of the APSA Youth Animation and Documentary International Jury for 2015,” he said.
Shawkat Amin Korki was the first representative from Iraqi Kurdistan nominated for an APSA for his debut film Crossing the Dust (2007). In 2011 he was a recipient of the MPA APSA Academy Film Fund, a financial bursary supporting the script development of Memories on Stone, which has won multiple international awards since completion.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk was delighted at the news the former APSA winning film and filmmaker had been recognised during the 2015 UNESCO conference.
“This latest accolade fortifies APSA’s already strong standing on the global stage and enhances our city’s reputation as an Asian-Pacific hub for film, arts and cultural diversity,” Cr Quirk said.
“UNESCO is delighted to host this screening of Memories on Stone,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.
“In today’s world, film can play a powerful role in fostering cultural diversity, and promoting mutual understanding, dialogue and peace. This is why UNESCO forged its link with APSA, which it sees as a most important cultural initiative, not just in the Asia Pacific region, but globally.”