Namak Khoshnaw, a renowned Director and Producer, was born in Northern Iraq to a Kurdish family, and his life took a dramatic turn when he arrived in the UK as a refugee in 2002. He was granted asylum and eventually became a UK citizen, a testament to his resilience and determination.
Namak's academic background is equally impressive, having obtained his Master's degree in Film and Art from the University of West London. Currently, he is a PhD candidate at the University of Leicester, where he is working on a groundbreaking research project titled "The Filmmaker's Predicament: On ISIS and Media".
As a documentary filmmaker, Namak has made a significant impact with his thought-provoking and emotionally charged documentaries for the BBC. One of his most notable works is the harrowing documentary "Slaves of the Caliphate", which sheds light on the plight of Yazidi women held as sex slaves by ISIS fighters. The film was broadcast internationally in 2014 and earned Namak the prestigious New Ground Award for outstanding reporting.
In 2018, Namak embarked on a year-long project to create the documentary "Iraq: A State of Mind", which delves into the mental health crisis gripping the Iraqi people. The film highlights the stark reality of the country's mental health landscape, where there is only one psychiatrist for every 300,000 people and a single psychiatric hospital serving the entire country. Namak's documentary addresses the deep psychological distress Iraqis are experiencing due to decades of extreme violence and personal insecurity.
The documentary received widespread critical acclaim, winning three awards, including the Mind Media Award, Grierson, and FPA for Best Documentary. Namak was also awarded Journalist of the Year at the FPA in 2019.
