Erfan Rashid is a journalist and film critic, born in 1952 in Khanaqin, Iraq. Since moving to Italy in 1978, he has played a key role in fostering Arab-European cultural exchanges. Rashid graduated from Baghdad University with a degree in theatre arts and began his media and journalism career in the late 1970s, writing for prominent publications such as Al-Ittihad, Al Bayan, and Al Safir. By 1992, he became a correspondent for Al Hayat, a leading daily pan-Arab newspaper. His expertise extended to roles at France’s Radio Monte Carlo and Germany’s Deutsche Welle, and he was a political commentator on RAI, Italy’s national TV, focusing on Middle Eastern crises and the Iraq war. He produced the TV series “Migrating Birds” and the documentary “Stopping the Desert,” which underscored UN efforts against desertification in Mauritania. His contributions also included media coordination for development projects with the Italian Foreign Ministry in Iraq. He co-authored, with Andrea Morini, the Italian book “Cinema of the Arab Countries” in 1993, and produced several other publications on film in Arabic. In 2004, he became coordinator for the Arabic desk at press agencies ADN Kronos International and later at AGI Agenzia Italia, which culminated in him receiving the Journalist of the Year for Press Agencies prize, in 2004, at the yearly Ischia International Journalism Award, held under the patronage of the president of the Republic of Italy. Rashids also translated Italian literature into Arabic, including works by eminent Italian authors Leonardo Sciascia, Ennio Flaiano and Daniele Del Giudice. His translations have played a vital role in introducing Italian culture to Arab readers. He has been a fixture at major international film festivals since 1983, reporting for various media outlets from Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, and Rotterdam, among others. From 2008 to 2015, he was director of Arab programmes at the Dubai International Film Festival, where he curated the selection of Arab films. Currently, he serves as a film critic and host for “Asharq Cinema,” a weekly program at pan-Arab TV channel Asharq News, covering new releases, festivals, and featuring interviews with filmmakers. A longstanding member of the Foreign Press Association of Italy and the Italian National Order of Journalists, his career exemplifies his commitment to cultural dialogue through journalism.