In Search of Shilan

Australia/Iraq / 2008 / Memuzin River / 60 mins

Ten years ago, Cetin, a Kurdish poet, went into exile from Turkey, and after many months via Bulgaria and South Africa, arrived in Australia as a refugee. Leaving the Turkish army after bearing witness to atrocities on Kurdish villages, he put himself in danger by publicising the army’s actions, and in doing so was forced to leave the woman he loved.

Now, he wants to find Shilan, his lost love. He’s never forgotten her, never married during his life in Australia. But now she’s made her choice; she’s a female guerrilla in the PKK, living in the remote Zagros Mountains of northern Iraq and Iran, and devoted to the struggle to re-establish a Kurdish homeland. Ten years on, and the situation’s reversed; this time it’s Shilan who has to choose between love for a man or love for her homeland.

In this film, there is some remarkable footage of daily life, training, living and working with the PKK, the Marxist guerrilla group, as they attempt to establish a Kurdish homeland. We listen to the women describing their feminist push to 'civilise' men, a program called "Turning The Men Around". We see them living in gentle harmony with their male comrades, teaching new recruits how to handle their weapons. We see men serving them food. There is unprecedented access and insight into this world and its ongoing political struggle. High on the terrorist list of most Western Governments, this footage reveals the humanity behind the headlines.