In this episode, we explore the social, political, and personal challenges faced by women documentary filmmakers in their storytelling journeys. These talented artists share their distinctive cultural references and influences from the South Caucasus, offering unique perspectives rooted in their heritage while navigating the broader complexities of working in the film industry.

NO OTHER LAND (Best Documentary Berlinale 2024) Co-directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham and KAMAY (Interreligious Award Visions du Réel 2024) director Ilyas Yourish discuss how their films and the act of filmmaking itself have become not only an act of resistance against war and brutality, but a means of survival, memory-keeping, re-writing official narratives and understanding of identity. NO OTHER LAND, created by a collective of Palestinians and Israelis (Rachel Szor, Hamdan Balal, Yuval Abraham and Basel Adra), tells Basel’s own story as he films his community of Masafer Yatta, in the West bank, being destroyed by Israeli soldiers and the unlikely friendship he develops with an Israeli journalist, Yuval, who wants to join his fight. KAMAY is set in the remote mountains of central Afghanistan, as a Hazara family embarks on a journey for truth and justice after their daughter Zahra mysteriously dies at Kabul University. In his poetic and poignant film, her sister Freshta narrates countless hours on the road, administrative and technological obstacles to justice. The film is a moving contemplation of love, loss, and perseverance in spite of increasing unrest on the eve of the Taliban takeover of the country.

Our second podcast episode features a conversation between three Iranian artists academics and activists. Sepehr Atefi and Kaveh Azarhoosh are both Close Up filmmakers and activists who participated in our program in 2021-2022 with their project Radio Berlin. In this conversation, they are joined by Maryam Palizban, an Iranian actress and scholar based in Berlin.  

In our first episode, we feature a conversation between filmmakers Jude Chehab and Ruzgar Buski who participated in the Close Up program between 2020-2021. They discuss various aspects of documentary filmmaking, defining oneself in one’s given circumstances, and navigating the international industry while challenging its status quos.