Iraq: Return to Kirkuk
56 minutes, 2005
Ref: 451

Thirty years ago Saddam Hussein's secret police imprisoned and tortured 14-year-old Karzan Sherabayani for only one reason: Karzan was a Kurd. His brother helped him flee the country. Karzan built a new life in Europe and then in Britain but never forgot his homeland, South Kurdistan, in northern Iraq. Now he returns to his childhood home, Kirkuk, to participate in Iraq’s first democratic national elections. In Return to Kirkuk, Karzan's personal journey and individual poll parallels the massive preparations and struggles for Iraq’s historical election. He will clarify complex issues and the ongoing conflicts of the region. Return to Kirkuk offers an emotionally rich and highly informative insight about the Kurds and Iraq. It also gives a rare reality check on what is happening in this complex nation. The film is a moving portrait of a country that appears to be heading quickly toward civil war.