The first feature from director Sevinaz Evdike, 'Berbu' (The Wedding Parade), has been selected by the prestigious Galway Film Fleadh and will be screened today in the Irish city.

The film follows three young Kurdish women, Gule, Barin and Naze, who are planning their life-long dream weddings in Serekaniye, a city threatened by war.

When the first bombs hit the city, they flee, and their destinies change, as do their dreams. The impact of war on these women and their everyday lives is laid bare in this deeply moving film.

The film has been produced by the Rojava Film Commune and, after the screening in Galway, will be screened at the West Belfast Feile (on 7 August).

Sevinaz Evdike was born and lived in Serekaniye, where the movie takes place. She has been forced to flee from her city twice, like most of the citizens of Serekaniye.

The director said: "The first time we had to flee because radical groups invaded the city. They changed to being known as ISIS after that. I left my city for five years, but my father and brother remained there and refused to leave our house. We did not get any news from them during all that time."

Evdike said that they were eventually able to "return in 2016 after a long journey and rebuild the family house. In 2019, due to the Turkish invasion of my city, we were forced to flee Serekaniye for the second time. We were displaced and we cannot return due to the ongoing occupation. We are refugees in our own country."

The movie was based on real stories, many details Sevinaz Evdike collected from her family and friends during those 12 years of war. There is death, displacement, but also struggle and resistance.