documentary my father and qaddafi held a successful world premiere at venice international film festival

Jihan K’s documentary MY FATHER AND QADDAFI held its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival to resounding success, as the audience was captivated by the film’s touching storytelling and deep emotional resonance.

The premiere was met with strong and heartfelt applause, and in a particularly moving moment, Jihan K and her mother shared an embrace that left many in the audience visibly touched. As positive reactions spread throughout the festival, the next two screenings quickly sold out, highlighting the film's broad appeal to audiences worldwide.

The documentary follows a daughter as she unravels the disappearance of her father, the opposition leader to Qaddafi, and pieces together her mother’s 19-year search to find him. Without any memory of her father, she tries to reconnect with him and reconcile with her Libyan identity.

A US and Libyan production, MY FATHER AND QADDAFI is produced by Jihan K (Desert Power) in association with Quiet. It is co-produced by Andreas Rocksén and William Johansson Kalén of Laika Film & Television AB; with executive producers Dave Guenette, Mohamed Soueid, and Sol Guy; associate producers Shahla Karkouti Elms and Austin Ray; and MAD World handling international sales.

Featuring Jihan K, Baha Sobhi Al Omary, and the late Rashid Mansur Kikhia as main characters, the 88-minute documentary is lensed by Micah Walker and Mike McLaughlin and edited by Alessandro Dordoni, Chloe Lambourne (of the Oscar-nominated FOR SAMA), and Nicole Halova.

Throughout its production, the film received funding from several international sources, including Quiet, the Doha Film Institute, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, the International Documentary Association Enterprise, the Documentary Fund CineGouna Funding Platform, International Media Support, the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Group, the Documentary Fund Malmö Arab Film Festival Market Forum and the Swedish Film Institute.

It also participated in several labs, including Close Up Lab, DFI QUMRA, Durban Filmmart, Between Women Filmmakers Caravan Consultancy, Medimed Euro-Med Doc Market & Pitching Forum, and First Cut Lab.

Jihan was born in exile and raised in Paris, where her father, a Libyan human rights lawyer, was a peaceful opposition leader to Qaddafi’s regime. After her father disappeared in Cairo, her family lived between the United States and France, while her mother, a Syrian artist, fought for justice in an international campaign.

Jihan grew up cradled in her family’s love of art and music, which served as their lifeline. She received her BA in International and Comparative Politics with a concentration in Human Rights, Philosophy, and International Law, and her MA in Art Education and Storytelling. Jihan is committed to discovering how free expression can be a vehicle for empowerment and understanding.