The film, “Missing Freedom,” by director Umur Hozatlý describes one of the most brutal organizations in the region, Gendarmerie Intelligence and Anti-Terror Unit (JÝTEM), which was formed by the Turkish government to violently attack Kurds in the 1990s.

“Missing Freedom” reveals the dark side of JÝTEM to the rest of the Turkish community which remains ignorant of its own history. Produced by Umur Hozatlý, the film is the first of its kind to hold JÝTEM accountable and openly criticize the organization.

Hozatlý discusses what inspired him to make his first full-length movie: “Kurds launched an organized fight after a long-period of slavery and captivity. Since then, Kurdish people have been living in a time of enormous tragedy. Ignoring this tragedy is a vital mistake.

I cannot be one of those people who turn a blind eye to this problem. In making this film, I wanted to translate for the world the trauma that Kurds face while keeping in mind that art, as well as people and states, can be fascist too.”

“Missing Freedom” opens in theatres in Istanbul and Diyarbakir.