HEJAR (followed with discussion led by lecturer Desmond Frenandes). February 11, 2007

HEJAR
(Büyük Adam Küçük Ask)
Nandan Ipekçi, Turkey/Greece/Hungary, 2001, 120 mins

A courageous film that tells the story of Rifat, a retired judge living in western Turkey who instinctively sides with the cops when they kill his Kurdish neighbours. He can't resist offering his protection to 5-year-old Hejar, who miraculously survives. She speaks only Kurdish but slowly a bond begins to form. The film was banned at the request of the Kurdish police, even after it had been chosen as the official Turkish entry for the Oscars.

* Discussion led by Desmond Frenandes, who teaches at de Montford University, Bedford, and is joint author of the forthcoming book the Kurdish Genocide in Turkey (Apec Press, Stockholm).

Discussion scheduled to last a further 60mins.

Official Website: http://socialistfilm.blogspot.com/2006/08/feb-11-banned-in-turkey-hejar.html