Shokat Amin Kolki, the Busan International Film Festival, won awards for “Kick-off” in 2009 and later awards for “Memories of the Stone” and “Tests,” brings his new drama “Distance” to the Asian project market, continuing his quest for trauma, superstition and struggle for social progress.
The story centers around Mina, a 35-year-old German-trained psychiatrist, returning to Kurdistan to work at a mental health clinic that treats war survivors, including a Yazidi woman who was once captured by ISIS. When one of her patients dies of suicide after turning to a popular faith healer, Mina sparks lawsuits and public backlash, becoming a scapegoat. Her investigation into healer Sheikh Mossadeg thrusts her into the battle against the superstitions and religious exploitation that have entrenched her, even if her own community is separated.
“The idea for film comes from my own observations in a society where fear, superstition, and social pressure often replace science and consciousness,” Kolki tells Variety. “True mental health professionals are often silent or pushed away. I want to tell a story that uncovers this double layer crisis within the individual and within the structure of society.”
Korki adds that “disability” reflects both personal scars and collective scars. “Mina represents a generation carrying the weight of the past, but striving to build another future. One of the deepest wounds that still plague the region is the tragedy of a Yazidi woman who was accused of and enslaved by ISIS.
The project, created by Berlin’s Mitosfilm and Sholev Golparia’s Mehmet Aktasch, along with Kolki himself, is composed of a co-production between Iraq and Germany’s France. Aktaş, who has worked with Korki for 15 years, explains the production combines local authenticity with international standards. “The film industry in the Kurdistan region is still emerging, so we plan to strengthen the project by introducing major divisional heads from Germany. Post-production will also be taking place in Germany. This structure will allow us to combine authentic storytelling from Kurdistan with international visibility.”
“The urgency is increasing as mental health challenges and social divisions are amplified from one another. War, evacuation and losses create widespread trauma and often affect multiple generations,” Golpalian said.
Visually, Kolki says he aims to emphasize the contrast that defines Kurdistan today. “The film contrasts with two different worlds: the warm and emotional atmosphere of traditional Kurdish life and the cold, sterile environment of modern psychiatry. This reflects Mina’s inner conflict and the divided world she was captured.”
In the future, filmmakers hope that the project will find a partner in Busan. “Our goal at APM is to find creative and financial partners who believe in socially relevant, human-centered stories from underrepresented communities,” says Kolki. “Disability” is a local story with global resonances to address mental health, tradition and struggles for change. ”
Production is expected to begin in 2026 in Kurdistan region of Iraq.
