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September 22, 2025 – Iraq/Kurdistan –
The Rojava Film Commune has completed a new cinematic tribute titled Heval Birako, dedicated to the memory of journalist Nazim Daştan. The film is adapted from a story he authored.
Directed by Nûman Yigît with a screenplay by Önder Çakar, Heval Birako (113 minutes) began filming on 7 August 2024 and concluded on 7 October 2024. Its world premiere is scheduled for November 2025 at the Rojava International Film Festival in Qamishlo, where it will open the festival.
The narrative centers around two siblings forcibly separated by ISIS forces. The militants attempt to manipulate them into turning against their own people and heritage. Over time, through emotional bonds and longing, the siblings seek reunion despite the harsh pressures around them.
The dedication is profoundly personal. Director Yigît emphasized that Nazim’s contribution was immense and that the film was made in his memory to ensure he is not forgotten. Daştan was killed along with fellow journalist Cîhan Bîlgîn in a Turkish drone strike on 19 December 2024. The two were traveling between Tishrîn Dam and the city of Sirîn in the Euphrates region when their vehicle was struck.
In public statements following his release, the film commune has framed Heval Birako as more than entertainment: it is a memorial, a cinematic act of resistance, and an affirmation that storytelling and memory are vital in the face of violent suppression.
The film’s release offers a symbolic reclaiming of Daştan’s voice. Even though he was silenced, his words live on in the art that he inspired. Through Heval Birako, audiences are invited not just to witness a story of separation and endurance, but to honor a journalist who paid the ultimate price for truth. The film stands as a testament: that when a voice is taken, we can respond with remembrance.
Reference –
Film ‘Heval Birako’ dedicated to martyr journalist Nazim Daştan
