Ilyas Yourish founded Kamay Film in Afghanistan in 2018 with the goal of developing and producing films centred on themes like identity, trauma, history and memory, particularly focusing on his homeland and its people. However, in 2021, he was forced into exile to Belgium, where he has since lived and worked.
Born and raised in Kabul, Ilyas began his career as a multimedia journalist and TV show producer in 2011 while studying at the Journalism Faculty of Kabul University. Transitioning to a full-time filmmaker in 2019, he brought to his work a rich background shaped by his earlier contributions to various social research projects. From 2012 to 2019, Ilyas served as a research coordinator, researcher and data analyst, contributing to projects exploring topics such as extremism, radicalisation and mobilisation, women’s rights, and the dynamics of power, security, and local governance in conflict-affected districts.
Throughout the past decade, Ilyas has extensively travelled within Afghanistan, gaining unique access and in-depth knowledge of his homeland. These experiences profoundly informed his artistic explorations.
His projects have garnered support from esteemed film foundations and festivals and have been featured at key documentary markets in Europe and North America.
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy expresses its respect for and acknowledgement of the South East Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of country, including the custodial communities on whose land works are created and celebrated by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We also pay our respects to Elders, past and present. We recognise the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples continue to play in storytelling and celebration spaces.
