Hemen Khalidi’s debut feature gains global recognition for its human story of migration, women, and rural life.
The film “Song of the Storks,” directed by Hemen Khalidi, has won the Best Feature-Length Documentary award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in the United States, competing among more than 1,100 submitted films.
The production had already gained international attention after receiving the Best Asian Documentary award at the Busan International Film Festival, often referred to as the “Oscar of Asia.” These achievements have positioned the film as one of the most notable Kurdish cinematic works to reach global audiences in recent years.
Critics and festival organizers have praised Khalidi as an emerging voice in international cinema, highlighting his ability to bring Kurdish stories into major global film platforms.
“Song of the Storks” marks Khalidi’s first feature-length directorial work. The film presents the interconnected lives of three women living in the village of Daratafa near Mariwan, a rural setting known for its close coexistence between people and migrating storks.
At the center of the story is Pura Khaja, an elderly woman who spends her time caring for an injured stork while also facing emotional conflict over her daughter’s decision to migrate to Europe. Through this parallel narrative, the film explores themes of care, separation, and the emotional complexity of migration.
The production, which reportedly took four years of research and filming, aims to portray migration from a human-centered perspective while offering a nuanced look at rural Kurdish life and the emotional bonds between people and nature.
The film has been widely described as an important cultural milestone for Kurdish cinema, opening new opportunities for Kurdish filmmakers to reach international audiences and present alternative narratives about identity, displacement, and belonging.