Zaynê Akyol
Born to Kurdish parents in a Turkish village, Zaynê Akyol immigrated to Montreal as a child. A graduate of l'École des médias of the Université du Québec à Montréal, she won the Prix du meilleur espoir en cinéma documentaire awarded by the Chaire René-Malo, associated with the National Film Board of Canada. She also completed a Master's degree in communication-cinema, with a research on relational and creative issues in documentary. Juggling theory and practice, she directed in 2016 her first feature documentary, Gulistan, Land of Roses, which portrays Kurdish women fighters at war against the Islamic State. This personal work was acclaimed in many international festivals and won several awards. Her interest in images and politics also led her to photography. Her first exhibition, Rojekê, un jour (2016), tells of resistance through female faces. In 2022, she extended her reflection with the feature film ROJEK, which traces the beginning, peak and fall of the Islamic State through several personal testimonies.
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Gulîstan, Land of Roses
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This documentary travels deep into the mountains and deserts of Kurdistan, where armed female guerillas from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) defend Kurdish territory against ISIS. These women share their most intimate thoughts. By offering a window into this largely unknown world, the film exposes the hidden feminist face of a revolutionary group united by a common vision of freedom.
Gulîstan, Land of Roses
Subscription access
This documentary travels deep into the mountains and deserts of Kurdistan, where armed female guerillas from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) defend Kurdish territory against ISIS. These women share their most intimate thoughts. By offering a window into this largely unknown world, the film exposes the hidden feminist face of a revolutionary group united by a common vision of freedom.
