The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility

Gulîstan, Land of Roses

Armed female guerrillas of the PKK risk their lives defending their freedom from the threat of ISIS.
Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.

Details

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.

Women War, Conflict and Peace All subjects
  • participation
    Sozdar Cudî
    Rojen Bêrîtan
    Nupelda Herekol
    Silan Doxan
    Sozdar Cemal
    Avasin Silan
    Devrim Ciziri
    Evindar Delila
    Edessa Amara
    Zozan Botan
    Beritan Derik
    Azer Pepule
    Adar Ararat
    Bercem Amed
    Ronak Gever
    Erivan Mako
    Ahmet Rubar
    Feride Alkan
    Roza Sila Nuda
    Nujin Derik
    Binevs Batman
    Duran Kalkan
    Cuma Biliki
    Rubar Teyi
    Medya Huner
    Viyan Dilara
    Dayan Efrin
    Tavin Tekosin
    Beritan Urfa
    Berivan Sarya
    Serbest Zagros
    Berivan Dersim
    Axin Kici
    Hevidar Devrim
    Nuda Xemgin
    Tirej Serhed
    Berivan Efrin
    Simal Dilsoz
    Delil Cudi
    Kendal Amanos
    Xelil Gever
    Simko Sorkew
    Dilbirin Gewer
    Herekol Kici
  • writer
    Zaynê Akyol
  • director
    Zaynê Akyol
  • executive producer
    Yanick Létourneau
    Colette Loumède
    Mehmet Aktas
  • producer
    Sarah Mannering
    Fanny Drew
    Yanick Létourneau
    Mehmet Aktas
    Nathalie Cloutier
    Denis McCready
  • director of photography
    Étienne Roussy
  • editor
    Mathieu Bouchard-Malo
  • assistant director
    Pamina Dittmann
  • supplementary footage
    Zaynê Akyol
  • soundman
    Vincent Laroche-Gagnon
    Adel Ton
  • additional sound recording
    Shahram Ahmadian
  • associate producer
    Zaynê Akyol
  • production manager
    Sarah Mannering
    Fanny Drew
    Said Nur Akkus
  • production coordinator
    Constance Malpel
    Chinda Phommarinh
    Isabelle Limoges
  • production accountant
    Pascal Larose
  • production assistant
    Janna Heine
    Nihat Nuyan
    Erdal Kirik
    Imad Lezgin
  • driver
    Serdar Alturk
  • script consultant
    Diane Poitras
    Mehmet Aktas
  • post-production supervisor
    Andrée-Anne Roussel
  • assistant editor
    Andrée-Anne Roussel
  • sound design
    Olivier Calvert
  • music composer
    Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux
  • online editor
    Yannick Carrier
  • technical support - editing
    Pierre Dupont
    Isabelle Painchaud
    Patrick Trahan
  • re-recording
    Serge Boivin
  • foley
    Lise Wedlock
  • foley technician
    Geoffrey Mitchell
  • graphic designer
    Marie-Claude Marquis
    Gabriel Jasmin
  • marketing manager
    François Jacques
  • marketing manager - assistance
    Michelle Rozon
  • administrator
    Sia Koukoulas
  • administrative assistant
    Pascale Savoie-Brideau
  • technical coordinator
    Mira Mailhot
  • line production
    Mélanie Lasnier
  • legal consultant
    Remy Khouzam
  • insurance
    Globalex
  • financial services
    Banque Nationale du Canada
  • translation
    Zaynê Akyol
    T&S Coop
    Berivan Almami
    Hatice Aktas
  • subtitles
    Zaynê Akyol
    T&S Coop
    Mitosfilm

Education

Ages 16 to 18
School subjects
Civics/Citizenship - Human Rights Family Studies/Home Economics - Feminism Social Studies - Development/Global Issues

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?

More educational content

Gulîstan, Land of Roses
Purchase options
Licence information
Already paid to see this film?
Licensing information
Download-to-own (DTO) licence detail
Home licence (worldwide); Classroom licence (Canada only)

You may download this film for private, personal or classroom use only. Public screenings and institutional (non-educational institutions) uses are not permitted.

Download films in standard or high definition. (Please note that bonus materials are not available for DTO films.)

Institutional licence

To purchase an institutional licence or to buy a film that is not available for DTO or VOD on the platform, please contact us.

The institutional price includes the rights to screen the film in institutional settings and at free public screenings.

Additional instructions

DTO films cannot be hosted on a streaming server. To add DTO films to an institutional or educational streaming server, please contact a sales agent to discuss pricing.

You can copy each file up to 5 (five) times, onto various devices.

Explore