A movie about Kurdish Yezidi girl to be showcased at Cannes Film Festival

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Sibel's Silence, a movie that depicts the release of a Kurdish Yezidi girl, kidnapped by ISIS, will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.

The 1-hour, 38-minute film is directed by Aly Yeganeh, a Kurdish director from East Kurdistan (Rojhilat).

The film begins with the kidnapping of a 13-year-old Sibel, along with thousands of other Yazidi girls and women. She is trafficked as a "sex slave" in Syria and Iraq after her entire family is killed by ISIS. 

Hannah, a Kurdish doctor living in France, was deeply moved by the story of the Yezidi girl and decided to rescue her from ISIS militants.

After her release, Hannah and Sibel return to France. The doctor tries to provide her with a decent life, but the psychological impact of the horrors she suffered leaves Sibel unable to speak and have a normal life.

"Sibel's silence is the story of the cleansing of a religious minority with different beliefs," the director said. 

Previously, Sibel's Silence won the Best Cast Ensemble at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in the United States.

The 2023 Cannes Film Festival kicked off in Cannes, France, on Tuesday and continues until May 27. Every year, hundreds of renowned actors and producers showcase their latest films.