BFF 2016: “North”, Turkey

“North”, Turkey, 2015, Ertuğrul Mavioğlu, Çayan Demirel, 92’

NORTH is a feature documentary that invites its audience to reflect a war that has been continuing for decades and gives an insightful look on its main subject, the PKK. The film follows the lives of the guerrilla in three different camps on the Kurdish region (North) that lies within Turkish borders. What is the PKK’s perception of the state, justice and authority? What constitutes the foundation of their relationship to the people? How did the Kurdish movement evolve over the years into a battle for freedom founded on the women’s rights movement? How do the guerrillas who have been living under wartime conditions for 40 years manage to survive in the harsh outdoor living conditions in the mountains? In search for answers, “Bakur” introduces us to men and women who have chosen to join the armed resistance in order to create a new future. The documentary challenges the audience to develop a different point of view as it sheds light on this mysterious world. It was the first time that a professional camera got ever access to the camps. BAKUR`s forced removal from the Istanbul Film Festival`s program led to a censorship protest in Turkey & cancellation of competitions.

September 2016 Montreal World Film Festival; October 2015 – DOCLeipzig; November 2016 – Stockholm Film Festival, 56. Popoli International Documentary Film Festival; April 2016 – Visions du Reel; May 2016 – Docsbarcelona

Awards:

14. Internationales Festival Zeichen der Nacht” (Signs of the Night / Signes de Nuit) in Berlin – The SIGNS AWARD