Karzan Abdalla

Karzan Abdulla Ahmed is a Kurdish cinematographer and filmmaker based in Sulaymaniyah, and a graduate of the Cinema Department at the College of Fine Arts, University of Sulaymaniyah. Throughout his artistic career, he has worked as a cinematographer on over 25 narrative, documentary, and independent film projects. His work places a strong emphasis on visual language, lighting, space, and the creation of cinematic atmosphere, viewing cinematography as a core foundation for storytelling. His films have been screened at numerous international film festivals and markets, including the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia in Japan, one of Asia's largest and most prestigious Oscar-qualifying festivals, and the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Market in France, where he has participated with two films. Additionally, one of his films has been showcased at HollyShorts in the United States, a BAFTA and Oscar qualifying festival, alongside various other local and global festivals. Karzan continuously collaborates with local and international filmmakers and actively supports the development of independent cinema in Kurdistan.