An Iraqi filmmaker born in Baghdad, he developed a passion for cinema from an early age and studied filmmaking at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad. During his studies, he gained his first professional experiences at the Iraqi Independent Cinema Center, where he worked as a production manager, which paved the way for his cinematic career.

Throughout his professional journey, Kwaish worked on several feature films that received critical acclaim and won international awards, such as “The Shepherd’s Silence” (2013) and “Mariam’s Road” (2014). His first film was part of the Short Film Corner section at the Cannes Film Market in 2015. During this time, he moved to Paris and continued working on his short films, including “A People Without a Homeland”, which was showcased at the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2015, winning the Best Short Film Award at the Mizan Festival in 2016.

Wareth Kwaish worked as a producer and director for several local and international cinematic projects, collaborating with radio stations and production companies in Paris and Baghdad. He played a key role as an executive producer and first assistant director in the film “Hanging Gardens”, which premiered globally at the Venice International Film Festival and was officially nominated for an Oscar as Iraq’s entry.

Currently, Kwaish resides in Baghdad and is working on the “Iraq Cinematheque” project, which aims to archive and preserve Iraq’s cinematic heritage under the management and supervision of the High Committee for Iraqi Visual Memory, chaired by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office. This project seeks to safeguard Iraq’s films as part of the national cultural identity.

Additionally, he serves as the rapporteur and committee member of the Cinema Support Initiative, launched by the Iraqi Prime Minister. This initiative aims to provide technical and financial support to Iraqi filmmakers by offering funding, collaborating with international institutions, and working to build a strong and sustainable cinematic infrastructure in the country.

Through these projects and achievements, Kwaish aims to elevate the Iraqi film industry and open new avenues for international collaboration, while enhancing the role of cinema in showcasing Iraqi culture and identity on the global stage.