Angels of Sinjar

90min or 52min original Kurdish version with German or English subtitles available

Synopsis

After ISIS attempted to wipe out the Yazidi people in the most atrocious way, Hanifa and her two sisters, borne unfathomable cost of this 21st century genocide. As they're trying to free their three sisters, remaining in ISIS captivity, Angels of Sinjar follows them, focusing on their strength and courage to rise from victimhood, clawing their way back to life and demanding justice and a lasting peace for the Yazidi population.

Hanifa’s story, her attempts to free her sisters, is the main axis of the film. Her story is interwoven with other strong supporting characters such as Saeed and Sufan. Through them we learn about the genocide, we visit the places of the massacres and meet their friends and relatives. Hanifa, Saeed and Sufyan not only grapple with their own fate, but are surrounded by the struggles of other Yezidi genocide survivors, who have been living in limbo, dragging themselves from day to day. They are not only lonely in their fight for survival; most of all they are completely confused about the solution. They can’t trust anyone as everyone betrayed them them at the time of 2014 ISIS attack and no one is with them today to support them now.
They live in a grave danger. They are an ethnic and religious minority, surrounded by Islamic fundamentalists, and yet they are unwanted. This is why we want to build a whole universe in the film, showing many different levels of the genocide and the situation for the entire community, and not only reflect on a personal story of one person. At this same time we follow a personal story of Hanifa and the drama of her family, so our challenge is to balance both.
Hanifa and Saeed made a decision to remain in Iraq and help their relatives and community. Following their stories we are filming on the ground, where the very genocide took place, that includes the world, that surrounds Sinjar. Hanifa’s sisters Alya and Zina live in Germany now, so we can experience what is the life of these displaced and torn by separation people. Through Nadia Murad, who is Saeed Murad’s sister, we get a connection to the side of the Western world. Sufyan brings us into the ISIS from within. This way we can reflect on the complexity of the Yezidi situation, world that surrounds them and multiple but extremely strong stories of the genocide survivors, with a focus on Hanifa and her five sisters.

Festivals/Awards

2019
Česká televize Co-production Award
HBO Europe Award

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Yazidis - 21st Century Genocide

Angels of Sinjar

Synopsis

Festivals/Awards

Cast and Crew

Original Languages

Production Company