2-10-01-afp-kurdish-actor-questioned-spain
The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com

Kurdish film actor questioned because of 'physical appearance' 

 SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain, Sept 30 (AFP) - A Kurdish-origin Swiss actor and prize winner
 at this year's film festival here was stopped for an hour at Bilbao airport "because of his physical
 appearance", Festival Director Mikel Olaciregui said Sunday.

 Swiss resident Duzgun Ayahan refused to take part in the festival's closing ceremony on
 Saturday, where he was due to receive the Concha de Plata award for best actor, because he
 was depressed by the incident, the director told the Spanish press.

 Olaciregui added that Spain's biggest film festival would send a message of solidarity on behalf
 of the festival to the prize-winning actor.

 Spanish papers blamed Friday's incident on the atmosphere created after recent terror attacks
 on the United States, which also led to most US artists failing to show up at the festival.

 Ayahan won the Concha de Plata for best actor for his role in "Escape to Paradise", where he
 plays a Kurd dealing with immigration problems in Switzerland.
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