We rose from the bottomless abyss of a dark fate,

We caught our breath in the crimson glow of dawn.

The image and the corpse of all that was lost,

Once like a fragile green branch,

We recreated free life

With that great love once more...

Mehmet Sait Üçlü

History is the root of humanity. A person is only as meaningful as the purpose they give to life. And meaning is life embodied through history and human experience. History is not merely an accounting of the past. It does not only represent stories told, legends recited, poems and songs remembered, nor does it simply belong to the battles, resistances, struggles, and events that are said to have passed. History carries its memory into the present moment. It breathes into the now. It awakens consciousness within humanity. Today, history is the docuseries ‘Kurdish Resurrection.’

‘Kurdish Resurrection’ speaks the language of truth. It is an ancient doorway to truth and freedom, opened through love. Truth, freedom, community, rebellion, rebirth, friendship, devotion, the figure of the great man, the mountains, and Kurdish reality, all come together in dialectical unity within this film. It is the name of an endless novel and an eternal song.

The docuseries ‘Kurdish Resurrection’ was brought to life through the collective feelings, ideas, and reflections of the Martyr Gülistan Tara Documentary Commune. The first episode began with the words, “The day will come, and the seed shall take root.” That seed was the first idea, the first word, the first memory, the first ideology. It represented the dialectic between thought and action. It marked the transformation of thought into action and theory into practice. This profound 90-episode series begins by exploring the themes of self-reliance, self-power, self-will, self-identity, and self-history. It reflects on the evolution of historical society, the formation of the Kurdish people, the tragedy they endured during the 19th and 20th centuries, their quest for truth and freedom, and their ancient culture, traditions, and social fabric. It portrays the continuous resistance and the struggle of the Kurdish people for language, identity, freedom, and truth. The documentary also covers the early life of Abdullah Öcalan, the historical background of the Öcalan family, and the broader historical context surrounding the foundation of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The land and society of Kurdistan have sustained their existence for thousands of years through their history and culture. Yet throughout the flow of history, they have constantly faced the threat of annihilation. These truths needed to be brought to light once again, in their entirety and from every angle. It became essential to connect the present with the past and to expose the reality of the Kurdish people. This is precisely what the documentary 'Kurdish Resurrection’ sets out to convey.

The docuseries 'Kurdish Resurrection' transforms the historical memory of the Kurdish people into the collective memory of humanity. It recalls time, keeps memories alive, and reunites the fragments of truth. As the wise man (Abdullah Öcalan) on Imralı Island once said, “What are we if not history? And outside of history, what are we but nothingness?” To think greatly, to create greatly, to live greatly, and to write greatly also means to become history itself. In the land of the sun, a history that is unwritten or unseen is a history that fades away. For this reason, the documentary 'Kurdish Resurrection' has become the story of the Kurds’ rebirth. It is a shared history. It stands as a complete archive and testament to the truth of the past.

The artistic and visual dimension of the work was given great importance, shaped through solidarity, the exchange of ideas, the gathering of documents and knowledge, and mutual support shared by everyone involved, from the director and screenwriter to the camera crew and voice over artists. Reenactments, character portrayals, narration, interviews, music, images, and the presence of flowers, water, birds, trees, and other beautiful elements together create a powerful effect on human psychology, emotions, spirit, and physical being. The sense of patriotism rooted in Kurdish society was conveyed in its most genuine and unembellished form. The ability to feel and to express the intensity of emotion could only come from a team like this. It can be said that this documentary is the result of a deeply focused, collective effort and heartfelt labor.

At the beginning of this work, the documentary team set out to reflect human contact and communication not only with other people, but also with nature and society. This connection was not shown in a merely formal or superficial way, but rather through emotional, spiritual, intellectual, moral, and imaginative expressions. This stands as a significant achievement. The team approached this goal with great patience, dedicating eight years of intense effort and commitment. It can be said that those eight years came with a story of their own, a story of resistance. Gathering archives, establishing contact with people, and refusing to retreat even in the face of danger in pursuit of a purpose all formed the essence of a struggle that could fill the pages of an epic novel. What the team completed was an exceptionally demanding project that no one else had dared to undertake, that few believed could be accomplished, and that required a level of determination rarely seen.

The historical foundation of the documentary is laid out with great care. The emergence of Mr. Öcalan is portrayed like the rising of a sun that illuminates every corner it touches. The sun represented light in the face of decayed darkness, and the reunion with truth and visibility. Everything began with the sun. It continued through him. Humanity evolved and took shape with him. Love, passion, truth, struggle, rebellion, resurrection, and resistance all began with him. He was both the witness and the subject of everything. He was the one with the power to shape it all. He was the source that allowed our hearts to flow freely, the one who created an oath of victory against those who sought to extinguish our hope for tomorrow. He gave emotional depth to our commitment to national and social truth. He proved that life, even in struggle, is worth living.

This great history was recorded through an organized and systematic approach. It was a historic responsibility, a duty of the party and of the struggle for freedom. There may be critiques from viewers regarding the documentary. Its shortcomings and limitations can certainly be discussed. However, what truly matters is the ability to see the broader picture and to reflect on it accordingly. And that broader truth is this: what was important was to begin the task, to take those very first steps. For in the beginning, the search for truth remained hidden. A correct beginning leads to correct outcomes. Once the beginning is understood, the process of self-recognition and understanding one’s role can unfold. The knowledge of the beginning had to be solid, so that misjudgments, errors, and rootless claims would not take hold.

The beginning was the essence of collective memory and social consciousness. The greatest challenges always appeared at the start. It was in those first moments that the deepest pain would emerge. Yet the difficult path was taken. They walked from one border to another to fulfill this duty. They could have been struck by a stray bullet, stepped on a landmine, or fallen into a trap. But was the struggle for freedom not always a path marked by sacrifice? The culture and legacy of the Free Press embodied this very truth. Just like Ape Musa (Musa Anter), Gurbetelli Ersöz, Seyit Evran, Cihan, Nazım, Aziz, Gulistan, Hero, Egid, Rosida, Arhat, and countless other revolutionary journalists who fought for truth at the cost of their lives.

They went through extremely harsh and challenging conditions of war yet still managed to deliver this vital work to both society and history. By reviving and nurturing the spirit of freedom, they brought it from the depths of the river of time into the light of day, fusing it with the present moment. Respect to their labor and the courage in their hearts.

Oh people,

‘Kurdish Resurrection’ is your story and your history. It tells you about yourself. It speaks of the self and the identity lost among the dusty pages of history. But it also tells the story of a history that creates and multiplies life even in the face of death.