Shorts-2: Border X BIJI | AKFF

Amsterdam Koerdisch Film Festival

Four short movies in the theme Sinûr/Borders. With Q&A

1. In our garden there was an olive tree (2024) – 12 min

67-year old Almasa’s visit to Germany became a long term stay after radical Islamic groups took her home in Afrin. Her story reflects a deep longing for her roots and the memories lost to her.

In “In Our Garden There Was an Olive Tree,” we follow 67-year-old Almasa, whose visit to Germany became a nightmare when radical Islamic groups, supported by the Turkish army, took her home in Afrin. Unable to return to her village, despite still holding the key, Almasa embodies the hope of reclaiming her confiscated land and the olive groves she once cared for. Her story reflects a deep longing for her roots and the memories lost to her.

Director: Miral Kilo
Producer: Eva-Lotta Trojandt, Anna Graf
Country: Germany
Languages: Kurdish (Soranî سۆرانی)
Subtitles: English

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2. Nothing but the truth (2024) – 15 min

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH portrays the ethical conflicts experienced by an Iranian Kurdish Interpreter who tries to sway the immigration case of a refugee by giving him legal advice during an intense and stressful court hearing.

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH portrays the ethical conflicts experienced by an Iranian Kurdish Interpreter who, inspired by the Black Lives Matters uprisings of 2020, tries to sway the immigration case of a refugee by giving him legal advice during an intense and stressful court hearing.

Director: Hamoun Dolatshahi
Producer: Azad Azizyan, Hamoun Dolatshahi
Country: United States of America
Languages: Kurdish (Sorani), Farsi, English
Subtitles: English

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3. Wall, the wall/Duvar duvar (2023) – 16 min

Solitary and young construction worker Murat is sidelined by the right hand of the boss as the construction gets close to the completion and he finds himself on the other side of the wall.

Murat is a dedicated construction worker building a gargantuan wall for a boss whom none of the workers has ever seen. After the departure of his colleague, Ali, and his relocation on the other side of the wall imposed by Yavuz, the boss’ right-hand, Murat sinks into a whirlwind of tension that leads him to struggle to meet the man he works for.

Director: Yusuf Ölmez
Producer: Okan Açmak, Mert Gençbay
Region: Bakur
Country: Turkey
Languages: Kurdish (Kurmanji), Turkish
Subtitles: English

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4.  Biji the movie (2025) – 26 min

BIJI – THE MOVIE follows a character on a audiovisual journey through the landscapes of Kurdistan and beyond, as he seeks answers to his identity and a deeper connection with his heritage. Through music and memory, he navigates the tension between feeling at home and being forever apart, ultimately discovering that true belonging is found within.

Director: Maceo Frost
Producer: Studio Biji, New-Land, bwgtbld. Knuckleheard, Berbang Studio’s, Artincrown, Loop.
Region: Bashur
Country: Kurdistan, Sweden, Germany
Languages: Kurdish (various dialects), English
Subtitles: English

Afterwards there will be a Q&A with BIJI