A panel titled “Shared Stories – Independent Cinema” was held at the Mihemed Şêxo Culture and Art Center, as part of the events for the 5th Rojava Film Festival.
The panel guests were Haşim Aydemir, a director from North Kurdistan (Bakur), writer Xoşman Qado from Rojava, and German writer Maren Green. Many artists, intellectuals and cinema lovers also attended the event.
The speakers highlighted the theoretical foundations of free cinema, emphasizing a visual methodology based on place, mother tongue, and daily experiences, while avoiding dominant commercial styles. The role of women in this type of cinema and the increasing participation of female directors were discussed in terms of their contributions to making identity, memory, and gender-based violence visible.
Xoşman Qado drew attention to the importance of freedom in filmmaking, stating that dominant powers influence cinematic themes. Qado said that cinema’s role is to reveal the truth and make visible what is happening on the earth, and that it should serve the interests of the people and illuminate their path to freedom.
Director Haşim Aydemir emphasized that oral storytelling is older than the camera and that people have always used oral narrative traditions to convey their experiences.
Aydemir said that the Rojava Revolution created a major transformation, offered Kurds an opportunity to preserve their identity, and achieved significant successes despite attacks and obstruction. He also stated that institutions work to protect the rights of all communities.
Before sharing her experiences in Rojava, Maren Green spoke about the situation of cinema in Germany and its relationship to dictatorship and authoritarian structures. She continued her speech by saying: “This is my first time participating in a festival and my first visit to Rojava. The resistance and struggle I have seen here has deeply affected me. Despite the difficulties, I see that people continue to struggle; I noticed that the films shown document reality with complete clarity, and this has been a great source of inspiration for me.”
The panel concluded that the Rojava Film Festival is an important platform for the development of free cinema and for amplifying the voices of local communities.