In October 2009, I recorded an interview with a pair of Kurdish filmmakers in Korea for a film festival. Their film was called, “Herman,” and to quote from the Pusan International Film Festival’s synopsis: “1988, Kurdistan. Before the Iraqi government’s Operation Anfal began to massacre and suppress the Kurds separatist movement, two lovers were forced to be separated due to unavoidable circumstances…”

I wasn’t so much interested in the film they shot as much as how somebody from Iraqi Kurdistan gets over the last 30 years of that country’s history to make a film that’s showing at a festival thousands of miles away. I spoke with Hussein Hassan, the film’s director, and Mohammed Jano, the film’s producer, who interpreted for Hussein. (10:49, headphones highly recommended)

-Andrew Siddons, Korea ‘09