Supersonic Eye

Kawa Akrawi – Director

Kawa is a dedicated Kurdish filmmaker committed to documenting social justice issues since 1995. In the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's regime, Kawa embarked on an extensive journey through Iraq, spanning from Zakho in the North to Basra in the South. During this journey, he captured the personal testimonies of those who survived the harrowing persecution under Saddam Hussein. The result of this profound experience was two impactful documentaries, namely "Saddam's Mass Grave" and "Chemical Ali." "Saddam's Mass Grave" made its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, receiving critical acclaim for its unflinching portrayal of the atrocities committed by the Baath regime.

 

"Chemical Ali" delves into the dark story of General Ali Hassan al-Majid, infamous as "Chemical Ali" for orchestrating the largest-ever chemical weapons attack on Kurdish civilians. Responsible for the deaths of 5,000 and the injuries of around 10,000, he played a leading role in the invasion of Kuwait, overseeing a campaign marked by murder, rape, and widespread destruction. His brutal repression continued in the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm, targeting Kurds and Shias in southern Iraq.

 

From 2009 to 2020, Kawa collaborated with Gwynne Roberts on the impactful 'The Kurdistan Memory Programme.' This initiative involved filming over 500 short factual documentaries and  feature documentaries, including "Kuljo: My Heart is Bleeding" and "One Yazidi Family vs ISIS." These documentaries have reached a global audience through BBC World and Al Jazeera broadcasts. The Kurdistan Memory Programme, a significant endeavor, aims to create a world-class digital multimedia record chronicling the stories of genocide. An accessible filmed record in both Kurdish and English, freely available online.

 

 

 

Gulan Akrawi – Producer

Gulan is a Kurdish journalist and TV producer with a remarkable career in promoting Kurdish culture and media. She gained recognition as the head of the cultural center HYS in Turkey, where she worked for many years before moving to Belgium to work at the Kurdish TV station, where she now serves as the head of broadcast. For over a decade, she has collaborated with filmmaker Kawa Akrawi on several documentary projects that highlight the experiences of the Kurdish people. These projects cover a broad range of topics such as Kurdish history, politics, and culture.