Gulîstan, Land of Roses

A remarkable documentary that humanizes a population which America has sometimes taken for granted in its Iraq-based wars against Saddam Hussein and, more recently, ISIS, Gulîstan, Land of Roses focuses on a group of Kurdish women fighters. Filmmaker Zaynê Akyol travels deep into the hills of Southern Kurdistan (in Northern Iraq) to encounter a female squadron of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who have surrendered their civilian social lives to wage war against the Daesh (ISIS). The extraordinary thing that Akyol captures on film is how much—despite intense training, exercises, and protocol (they address one another as “comrade”)—these soldiers remain gentle, accessible, and warm. Even while fighting alongside male counterparts and dealing with injuries and death, or preparing for a morning battle with ISIS, these women seem stunningly normal, not at all like some TV drama version of a hollowed-out warrior. One woman speaks about the pain of saying goodbye to her mother, while another talks in a hushed, almost sensuous way about how a facial scar from battle could make her more beautiful. Capturing the small, day-to-day sacrifices that the PKK women make while also bolstering their morale through song and shared experiences, this interesting film about an anti-ISIS contingent is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)