Kurdwin Ayub

Kurdwin Ayub, born in Iraq in 1990, has established herself as a versatile director, screenwriter, and performance artist based in Vienna, Austria. She pursued her artistic education at the University for Applied Arts Vienna from 2008 to 2013, where she studied Painting and Animation under notable instructors Christian Ludwig Attersee and Judith Eisler. Additionally, since 2011, she has been honing her skills in Performing Arts with Carola Dertnig at the University of Fine Arts Vienna.

Ayub's short films have garnered recognition at various international film festivals, showcasing her talent and innovative storytelling. In 2013, she received the prestigious Vienna Independent Short Newcomer Prize, while her works were also honored with the Viennale Mehrwert Short Film Prize in both 2011 and 2012. Notably, in 2012, she showcased a collection of her short films at the Viennale, further solidifying her presence in the film community.

Her feature documentary, *Paradise! Paradise!*, which she directed, wrote, and filmed, achieved critical acclaim, winning the Best Camera award at the Diagonale – Festival of Austrian Film. It also earned the New Waves Non Fiction Award at the Sevilla Festival de Cine Europeo and the Carte Blanche Prize at the Duisburger Filmwoche in 2016, highlighting her exceptional talent in the cinematic arts.