The fourth edition of the Kobani International Film Festival was held in 2023 as a continued tribute to the legendary Kurdish filmmaker Yılmaz Güney — widely regarded as the spiritual father of Kurdish cinema — for the second consecutive year, honoring his artistic and humanitarian legacy and his lasting influence on generations of filmmakers in Kurdistan and beyond.

Yılmaz Güney represented a unique cinematic voice that went beyond conventional filmmaking, with works deeply connected to themes of marginalized people, freedom, identity, and social justice. His cinematic spirit remained a central part of the festival’s artistic identity and vision throughout this edition.

The fourth edition witnessed a significant expansion in international participation, receiving 2,977 films from 123 countries, making it one of the festival’s largest editions since its establishment. Following multiple stages of viewing and evaluation, a distinguished selection of narrative, documentary, and animated films was chosen for the official competition and screened on the festival’s official platform.

This edition also featured a series of cinematic discussions and analytical sessions involving filmmakers, critics, and artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, giving the festival a strong intellectual and cinematic atmosphere that reflected its vision as a space for artistic dialogue and cultural exchange.

At the closing ceremony, the official awards were announced in a celebratory atmosphere that once again emphasized cinema as a tool of memory, resistance, and hope — and as a bridge connecting different peoples and cultures.