QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A new Kurdish feature film titled “The Father” is currently being filmed in the city of Qamishli, portraying the life of a former detainee who spent 15 years in Saydnaya Prison before attempting to rebuild his life following the collapse of the former Syrian regime.
The film centers on the character Taymour, a Kurdish man from Afrin who is released after years of detention in Saydnaya, one of Syria’s most notorious prisons. Although his release marks the end of his imprisonment, it does not end his psychological and social struggle, as he finds himself unable to reconnect with his family and the society that has changed during his absence.
According to the storyline, Taymour leaves Saydnaya after the fall of the former Syrian regime and remains stranded in Damascus for a year. He later receives assistance from individuals who help him reach Qamishli, where his wife and son have been living after years of displacement caused by conflict and military operations in northern Syria.
The film highlights the long-term psychological consequences of detention, as the protagonist remains trapped in the memory of imprisonment, even after physical release. His inability to adapt transforms his return into another form of isolation, separating him from his family despite their physical reunion.
Kurdish filmmaker Zahawi Sanjawi, based in Sweden, said the idea for the film has accompanied him for more than two decades. He added that he personally wrote the screenplay, waiting for the right production conditions before turning it into a full cinematic work.
Sanjawi has been working in northeast Syria for nearly two months to complete the production process. He noted that the current title remains provisional and may change in later stages of development.
Beyond the individual narrative, the film addresses wider humanitarian themes, including displacement, loss, memory, and identity. It follows intersecting life paths between Afrin, Damascus, and Qamishli, reflecting the broader experiences of Syrians affected by war, forced migration, and detention.
Actress Shirin Rashid plays the role of Taymour’s wife, a woman who spent 15 years raising her son alone while coping with the absence of her husband. Her character also represents a mother who lost her daughter during displacement from Afrin following military operations in the region.
Rashid said the film reflects the suffering of thousands of Syrian Kurds who were subjected to detention and enforced disappearance under the former Baathist authorities, noting that many experienced severe psychological and physical abuse in Saydnaya Prison and other detention facilities.
Director of photography and lighting supervisor Jamil Murad, who also heads Ray Artistic Production Company, said Taymour’s character represents the accumulated injustice experienced by Syrian Kurds over decades.
He explained that the protagonist’s journey is not limited to searching for his family, but extends to a deeper search for identity after years of memory loss and social transformation.
Murad added that Ray Artistic Production Company adopted the project after the director presented the idea upon arriving in the region. He said much of the production team worked on a semi-voluntary basis, relying on limited resources and self-support to complete filming.
The production team provided technical equipment, including cameras, lighting systems, sound devices, color grading tools, and transportation, despite difficult weather conditions during filming, he added.
According to Murad, the film has now reached its final production stages, expressing confidence that its human-centered narrative will resonate with audiences, particularly in Syria and among Kurdish communities.
Zahawi Sanjawi is known for documentary and humanitarian films focusing on refugee crises and human suffering, particularly among Kurdish and Yazidi communities. Among his notable works is “Imad’s Childhood,” which documents the experience of a Yazidi child held by ISIS for two and a half years before reuniting with his family.
He also co-directed the documentary “My Mother” alongside Ibrahim Saeedi and Abbas Ghazali, a film documenting the Anfal campaign, which received an audience award at the 12th London Kurdish Film Festival.
As production nears completion, Sanjawi hopes to present “The Father” at international film festivals, bringing forward the story of a man who left prison but continues searching for a way back to life.