Halil Dağ (Halil Uysal) introduced Kurdish guerrillas and the mountains of Kurdistan to the world. Through his camera, writings, photographs and films, he brought the Kurdish reality into view. With his creative character, he left behind a powerful legacy that continues to grow.
Halil Dağ was working in Northern Kurdistan (Bakurê Kurdistan) on the project “Those Walking Toward Mount Ararat.” On 1 April 2008, he was killed in a clash with the Turkish army in the Besta region of Şırnak (Şirnex), along with three of his comrades.
Harûn Hêvî, a member of the Mountain Theatre (Şanoya Çiya), spoke to ANF on the anniversary of Halil Dağ’s death.
Harûn Hêvî, a theatre artist and member of the Mountain Theatre, began by commemorating fallen artists and revolutionaries Hêvî, Yekta, Sarya, Mizgîn, Sefkan and Halil Dağ with respect and gratitude, and said: “When we speak of Halil Dağ, it means that Halil created himself in the mountains, and that the mountains, in turn, found expression in his personality. The surname ‘Çiya’ was not something chosen later; it emerged naturally from his life and labor in the mountains. That is why Halil and Çiya are two realities that complete one another.
Since 1994, we have come to know the mountains largely through him. We saw the mountains through his camera, heard their voice and came to understand life there. It is not easy to convey the reality of Halil; he expressed it not through words, but through his films, photographs, clips and documentaries. Whenever we wanted to see a true image of the mountains, Halil was the first to come to mind. Because he reflected everything in its most natural form.”
We came to know the guerrilla through Halil’s lens
Harûn Hêvî described the role of martyred Halil Dağ in introducing guerrilla life with the following words: “The people saw guerrilla life through Halil’s eyes. We came to know the daily life of the guerrillas, their relationship with nature and their struggle through his camera. At that time, MED TV had just been launched, and thanks to Halil’s work, it became, in a sense, the eyes of the people. Through him, people came to know the struggle, its martyrs and its reality. In practice, MED TV came to life through Halil’s camera.”
Harûn Hêvî also spoke about his first encounter with Halil Dağ: “We first knew his name through his work. Whenever people asked, ‘Who filmed this documentary?’ the answer was always ‘Halil Dağ.’ We met in 2001 at the Şehîd Sefkan School in Xinêrê. After watching our theatre play ‘Çîroka Axê’ (The Story of the Earth), Halil told us, ‘I will film this play and broadcast it on television.’ This became a great source of motivation for us. While filming, he would recreate scenes and paid close attention to every detail. Later, we also prepared the play ‘Zîlan’ together. But Halil always wanted something better; he never wanted anything he did to remain incomplete.”
Let us bring theatre together with cinema
Harûn Hêvî spoke about Halil Dağ’s approach to theatre and art and said: “Halil would often say, ‘Let us bring theatre together with cinema.’ Theatre should not remain confined to the stage; it should move beyond it. The camera had become the eye of society and had to be able to show reality everywhere. Theatre, in turn, had to assume the role of society and meet with it.”
He was, in practice, the director of life
Harûn Hêvî said this approach was something new for them and that they began experimenting with it. He continued: “This was different for us, and we wanted to try it. We expanded the stage into something much larger. At one point, Halil said that the Munzur River should also be included in the play, because it was connected to martyr Zîlan’s passage to Dersim. With his creative touches, Halil enriched our play. He lived the reality as deeply as we felt it in the performance. His thinking was very profound. That is why he was not just a cameraman; he was, in practice, the director of life. Halil felt, understood and lived everything required in guerrilla life.”
You reflect the eyes, spirit and demands of society
Harûn Hêvî also spoke about Halil Dağ’s approach to artists and said: “He would tell us, ‘You are not just actors. You are the pioneers of society. You reflect the eyes, the spirit and the demands of society. If you remain only actors, you limit this work to a narrow framework. But you are revolutionaries.’ He would say that every actor must also understand cinema. He taught us how a film is made and what a socially grounded film means. He explained the meaning behind every scene. Halil constantly trained us in this regard and, when necessary, would take on roles himself to set an example.”
He was the screenwriter, director and producer
Harûn Hêvî described the challenges of guerrilla cinema and Halil Dağ’s contributions as follows: “Usually, a film is made by a large team. But we often saw Halil working alone. He was the screenwriter, the director, and the producer. He carried out most of the work by himself. Yet he always wanted to involve everyone in the project. He would say, ‘Theatre is social, and film is the same.’ He wanted everyone to learn this art.”
Harûn Hêvî also spoke about a film project they worked on together: “We began working on a film in June 2002. We had a short time, around two months, and the project had to be completed by August. Halil wrote the script. The story was about the life of a woman guerrilla from Van (Wan) named Sarya. It told what happened after their village was burned in 1993. We filmed this script together and completed it in about two and a half months.”
Conditions were extremely limited
Harûn Hêvî spoke about the difficulties of filming in the mountains and the lack of resources. He said: “Halil only had one camera. The screen was broken, so he was filming under very limited conditions. Despite all this, he shot the film ‘Bejna Eynê’ (Height of the Mirror). It was truly very difficult. We could not find tapes at all. I clearly remember struggling for a week just to find a single cassette. There were no resources at the time. With great difficulty, we managed to find only four mirrors. They were large, and carrying them into the mountains was another challenge. Some broke during transport, others fell and shattered while being carried. Everything was done under extremely harsh conditions. At times, we did not even have ammunition. Halil gathered whatever he could find. This was our second film; the first was ‘Tîrêj’ (Ray of Light). Halil wanted to do the editing himself, but since there were no means, other comrades completed the editing.”
Harûn Hêvî also noted that despite the limited conditions at the time, there were certain advantages. He continued: “There was a ceasefire process in 1999. Educational and organizational activities had developed. At the Şehîd Sefkan Academy, there were departments for theatre, music and film. Halil focused mainly on cinema. After ‘Bejna Eynê’, he shot the films ‘Hêsrê Ava Zê’ (Tears of the River) and ‘Bêrîtan.’ Among them, ‘Bêrîtan’ stood out.”
Halil showed that art cannot exist without ideology
Harûn Hêvî spoke about the place of martyred Halil Dağ in Kurdish cinema and said: “It is difficult to reach the level Halil achieved. He left us an artistic and intellectual legacy. Halil showed that art cannot exist without ideology. He proved that the values and struggles of society must be expressed through art. The capitalist system also tells its story through art. But Halil presented the people’s struggle in the most accurate and aesthetic way. In the film ‘Bêrîtan,’ patriotism, sacrifice and struggle are portrayed with great strength.”
Providing information about the ‘Sîne Çiya’ initiative, Harûn Hêvî continued: “As the Mountain Theatre, we are working in three areas for Sîne Çiya: cinema, music and theatre. We are trying to carry forward the legacy Halil left behind. Thanks to him, we brought theatre to television. This was a major achievement. We still work with his methods today, but reaching his level is not easy. As the Martyrs’ Academy, we are striving to sustain this legacy.”
Harûn Hêvî concluded his remarks by saying: “It was a great honor and happiness for me to meet Halil and work with him. Through the film ‘Bejna Eynê’ (Height of the Mirror), I learned to work in the field of cinema. Halil gave us not only technical skills but also a strong perspective. I am trying to carry forward his legacy. The legacy our martyrs have left us is immense. Our duty is to strengthen it. The year 2026 carries both great opportunities and serious dangers. If we do not unite, these dangers will grow. For this reason, all forces and our people must strengthen their unity. The four parts of Kurdistan must come closer together. Our hope is a free country and a free future.”
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