The documentary series “From Genocide to a Free Life – The Kurdish Resurrection” is entering the finale of its first season with its 28th episode. The series, broadcast on Stêrk TV and Medya Haber, was produced by the Gulistan Tara documentary collective and is planned to run for three seasons.
The documentary series traces the political and ideological development of the Kurdish freedom movement, focusing in particular on the life of Abdullah Öcalan—step by step, from his beginnings in Ankara to the establishment of an organized resistance movement.
A story of awakening – Season 1 as “The First Birth”
Since its first broadcast, Kurdish Resurrection has been very well received by audiences. In 27 episodes to date, the series highlights key turning points in Kurdish history and examines collective memory in the light of the “leadership question” – that is, the role of Abdullah Öcalan as a political actor, source of ideas, and strategist.
The series documents how a small ideological group in Ankara formed a growing movement that took up armed struggle in Kurdistan with the decision to found a party. Contemporary witnesses give impressive accounts of the upheavals in the Middle East, the resistance in the prisons in Amed (tr. Diyarbakır), and the strategic decision to return to their homeland and take up armed struggle.
Finale focuses on August 15, 1984
On Wednesday, the season finale will be broadcast with the episode “With the First Shot”. The focus is on August 15, 1984—the date on which the PKK made its first military appearance with two coordinated attacks.
The episode follows the trail of guerrilla commander Mahsum Korkmaz (Egîd), one of the leading figures of this phase, and highlights the impact of this upheaval on the four parts of Kurdistan, within the PKK, but also in prisons and among the population.
Reports from contemporary witnesses and previously little-known archive footage provide insights into the dynamics of this historic moment.
Sequel planned with “Second Birth”
After a short break, the series will continue with a second season entitled “The Second Birth.” Thematically, it will cover the period from August 15, 1984, to February 15, 1999—the day Abdullah Öcalan was abducted in violation of international law.