Erfan Rashid is a journalist and film critic, born in 1952 in Khanaqin, Iraq. Since relocating to Italy in 1978, he has played a key role in fostering Arab-European cultural exchange. A graduate in Theatre Arts from Baghdad University, Rashid began his media career in the late 1970s, contributing to prominent publications such as Al-Ittihad, Al Bayan, and Al Safir. By 1992, he had become a correspondent for Al Hayat, a leading pan-Arab daily newspaper.

His journalism experience includes roles at France’s Radio Monte Carlo, Germany’s Deutsche Welle, and Italy’s national broadcaster RAI. In 1993, he co-authored Cinema of the Arab Countries with Andrea Morini, published in Italian, and has written several other film-related publications in Arabic.

In 2004, Rashid was appointed coordinator of the Arabic desk at the news agencies ADN Kronos International and later AGI Agenzia Italia. That same year, he received the Journalist of the Year for Press Agencies award at the Ischia International Journalism Awards, held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Italy.

He is also a prolific translator of Italian literature into Arabic, having translated works by renowned authors such as Leonardo Sciascia, Ennio Flaiano, and Daniele Del Giudice — helping introduce Italian cultural heritage to Arab readers.

Since 1983, Rashid has been a regular presence at major international film festivals — including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, and Rotterdam — reporting for various media outlets. From 2008 to 2015, he served as Director of Arab Programmes at the Dubai International Film Festival, where he curated the Arab film selection.

Currently, he is the host and film critic of Asharq Cinema, a weekly program on pan-Arab TV channel Asharq News, covering new releases, festivals, and filmmaker interviews.

A longtime member of both the Foreign Press Association of Italy and the Italian National Order of Journalists, Rashid has consistently championed cultural dialogue through journalism, the arts, and broader cultural exchange throughout his career. In 2025, he received the Critics’ Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arab Cinema Center at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, as part of the Marché du Film.