Best Documentary Feature goes to “Angels of Sinjar”. Set against the backdrop of Sinjar, Southern Kurdistan, Hanna Polak’s documentary pens the story of Hanifa, a young Yezidi woman. Having the miraculously escaped an ISIS attack, Hanifa manages to flee abduction, something her five younger sisters heartbreakingly did not. Amsterdam Koerdisch Film Festival is joyed to announce Hanna Polak as this year’s recipient of Best Documentary Feature.
Hanna Polak (born 1967) is a Polish director, cinematographer and producer. Her critically acclaimed documentary, “The Children of Leningradsky’’, landed her a Oscar-nomination. ‘’Angels of Sinjar’’, however, is uncharted territories of the director. Her ability to close-up on subjects, allowing for a visceral, poetic connection between the film and audience renders Polak a force to be reckoned with in film.
