Born in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1973, Shawkat Amin Korki and his family fled from military oppression in 1975, living in exile in Iran for 24 years. During his years in Iran and then when he returned to Iraqi Kurdistan, he began to work in theatre, television and the cinema. His short films, made between 1997 and 2005, have been presented at several international festivals, winning awards.

Korki wrote, directed and produced his first feature film in Iraqi Kurdistan, Crossing The Dust, in 2006. The film was shown at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam in 2007. The film went on to win many international awards including the Best Director and NETPAK Award at Singapore International Film Festival.

His second feature film Kick Off (2009) won twelve international awards including the Busan International Film Festival New Currents Award and FIPRESCI Prize. His third feature, Memories on Stone (2014), has won fifteen awards internationally to date including in 2014 Best Film from the Arab World at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival and the coveted APSA UNESCO Award. His last film THE EXAM (2021) has primiered at the 55th Karlovy Vary international film festival and won the critic (PIPRESCI) award.He lives and works in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. His films has participated in more than 200 international film festivals and won more than 50 international awards He is a Member of Asia Pacific Academy Award.