Iraq Yasir Kareem’s debut short film was “Kingdom of Garbage”, which received a Special Jury Mention at Tribeca Film Festival (2015). Other awards include Narrative (Tie On/Off Award), Jury Award, Short Film Festival 15, USA (2015). It received best short at Malmo Arab Film Festival , Sweden (2016). Skilled at both writing and directing, Yasir has written screenplays for numerous short films and documentaries, in addition to being a journalist. He was co-writer on “Happy Birthday”, a short film by Mohanad Hayal which premiered at Berlin International Film Festival and won the rising star award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival . One project he cowrote received a Crystal Bear at Berlinale. Recently, he directed two short films in Estonia, created in part with Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and Kinoeyes Masters.
PROJECT
Dunia
Dunia lives an uneventful, stay-at-home life in Iraq, burdened by responsibilities of caring for her husband and three children. When she's offered a hard to come by teaching position in the countryside, she insists on taking the long awaited opportunity, against her husband’s will. Finally achieving a life of her own, her dull life begins to glow, until she discovers her young student Zahraa’s plan to commit suicide due to her arranged marriage to a 40-year-old man. Dunia, also married at a young age, finds herself protecting Zahraa, confronting her conservative, rural family. Dunia also confronts her husband Hassan, who evicts her from their house, accusing her of child neglect. Dunia is faced with divorcing her husband in a conservative society which despises and degrades divorced women, and rescuing Zahraa.
