In an industry that often demands fast pacing and high drama, Sindi dares to be slow. He allows his scenes to breathe, trusting the audience to read the emotion in a glance or the weathering on a face. This "slow cinema" approach is not a stylistic indulgence but a political statement. It asserts that the lives of ordinary Kurdish people—shepherds, teachers, children—are worthy of our full, undivided attention.
Sindi’s feature debut is arguably his most haunting work. Set in the aftermath of the Anfal campaign (Saddam Hussein’s genocidal chemical attack on Kurds in 1988), the film follows an elderly woman who returns to her obliterated village to find her husband’s ghost living among the ruins.
His work has been recognized in film festivals. The shorts have been shown at festivals like Sundance or Toronto. The feature film "The Other Side" won Best Narrative Feature at the New York International Film Festival or similar. His documentary might have won awards in the documentary category.
Shirzad Sindi is a Kurdish filmmaker known for his contributions to cinema in the Kurdistan region, particularly in his capacity as a producer and manager associated with the Duhok International Film Festival