Armed female guerrillas of the PKK risk their lives defending their freedom from the threat of ISIS.
In the heart of the mountains and deserts of Kurdistan, the women of the Kurdish PKK guerrillas open the doors to their daily lives. Engaged in a fierce struggle against ISIS, they candidly share with filmmaker Zaynê Akyol their convictions, their hopes and the sacrifices their fight demands. Intimate and immersive, Gulîstan, Land of Roses paints a portrait of these revolutionary women who, weapons in hand, defend not only a territory but a vision of the world based on freedom and equality for all.
Warnings: guns
Using a map, atlas or website, locate Kurdistan and find the region that is featured in this film, and note the surrounding countries. The film shows the camaraderie of the women in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). What reasons would they have for joining a military group?
Around the 33-minute mark, Sazdar says, “Freedom begins with the woman.” Then she shares her thoughts on capitalism: “What does capitalism do, it reduces the people to nothing, it weakens and destroys their minds and souls. It creates robotic people.” Reflect on these comments or other comments from the film, and discuss your thoughts with the class. What questions do you have after watching the film?
Gulîstan, Land of Roses, Zaynê Akyol, provided by the National Film Board of Canada