Cinematizing genocide : exploring cinematic form and its relationship to the hidden voices of the Kurdish genocide of 1988

Razawa, DM

Abstract

Throughout the last two decades, the Kurdish genocide of 1988 has become a significant material in a variety of contexts. Kurdish filmmakers have tried to represent the tragedy in various formats. By comparing their work with the unique testimonies of survivors’ that I have collected through many years of work, it is clear that the impact of the genocide has not been dealt with adequately in contemporary Kurdish cinema. The survivors’ voices are still hidden because their feelings, personal lives, and true stories have not been represented in the works of Kurdish filmmakers. This practice-led research study tries to explore this gap through these significant questions:
1. How can the hidden voices of Kurdish victims of the genocide campaign be cinematized in ways that are currently not explored within Kurdish cinema?
2. In what ways can the victims’ oral testimonies be used to develop a cinematic language that can reveal the hidden impact on survivors?
By exploring cinematic form and cinematizing the catastrophe’s impact on the survivors of the 1988 Kurdish genocide campaign, this project tries to reveal out hidden perspectives on the entire tragedy.
This study aims to find new methods of representing the Kurdish genocide through different experimental film practice exercises, which aim to create opportunities to expand knowledge on the theme of cinematizing the genocide. I also aim to develop a cinematic language that might create new opportunity for Kurdish filmmakers to articulate themselves through the medium, in particular, to formulate a new approach to the concept of transcendental structure. By reflecting on these experimental pieces of work, I will explain how these exercises will shape the final project: two screenplays and visualisation strategies for one scene a short feature film screenplay, in addition to a documentary based on survivors’ testimonies.

Citation

Razawa, D. (in press). Cinematizing genocide : exploring cinematic form and its relationship to the hidden voices of the Kurdish genocide of 1988. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Acceptance Date: Mar 19, 2023
• Deposit Date: Nov 9, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 9, 2015
• Additional Information: Funders : Ministry of Higher Education , Kurdistan Regional Governtment; Projects : PhD in Media