CONGOO is a Brussels-based production company dedicated to bold, author-driven cinema. It is led by Ilyas Yourish, a producer and director from Afghanistan, whose experience of exile — and a decade of research and storytelling across Afghanistan — informs the work with lived experience and a sense of political urgency.
We tell stories rooted in complex realities — often navigating the edges of exile, memory, history, and resistance — with a particular focus on filmmakers from Afghanistan and the Hazara community. Our approach to production is attentive, flexible, and collaborative, reflecting the care needed to bring narratives into the world with integrity.
Our films have received support from leading institutions such as the Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Sundance Documentary Film Fund, IDFA Bertha Fund, Catapult Film Fund, and The Whickers Award, and have been showcased at major documentary markets and forums across Europe and North America, including IDFA Forum, Cannes Docs, Hot Docs Forum, Sheffield DocFest MeetMarket, and the Berlinale European Film Market.
Ilyas Yourish founded Kamay Film in Afghanistan in 2018, with a mission to develop and produce films centered on his homeland and its people. However, in 2021, due to the Taliban takeover of the country, he was forced into exile and has since lived and worked in Belgium.
Born in Kabul, Ilyas started as a multimedia journalist and TV producer while studying journalism at Kabul University. From 2012 to 2019, he worked on research projects focusing on extremism, radicalization, women’s rights, and power dynamics in conflict zones. In 2019, he shifted fully to filmmaking, bringing with him years of research experience and a deep understanding of his homeland.
His debut documentary, Kamay, had its world premiere at Visions du Réel 2024, where it won the Interreligious Award. In less than a year, the film was shown at more than 20 festivals internationally and won multiple awards. It was released in Belgian and West Balkan theaters in November and December 2024.
For more than a decade, Ilyas has extensively traveled throughout Afghanistan, gaining unique access and in-depth knowledge of his homeland, which has profoundly influenced his artistic explorations. His work has been supported by esteemed film foundations and festivals and has been showcased at key documentary markets in Europe and North America.
Recently, Ilyas took over the Belgian company CONGOO B.V. from his long-time mentor, Paul Pauwels, who retired after decades as a producer and consultant. Through CONGOO, Ilyas wants to bring filmmakers together and support bold, personal storytelling.