Directed by Berke Baş, this documentary chronicles the relentless struggle for justice led by the families of seven people who disappeared at the hands of state forces in the Dargeçit district of Mardin in 1995. After years of efforts by their lawyer Erdal Kuzu and the Human Rights Association, the Dargeçit JITEM Case was finally brought to court in 2015. The film closely follows the families and Erdal Kuzu through the last five years of this arduous legal battle, capturing the resilience and determination of those who never give up despite the countless obstacles created by the judicial system and state bureaucracy, all designed to deter them from the case.

The association Hafıza Merkezi (Memory Centre), one of the sponsors of the documentary, describes the motivation behind the production: “At a time when we face the risk of statutes of limitations expiring one by one for the severe human rights violations committed in the 1990s, we aim to amplify the struggle against impunity and make our voice heard through the Dargeçit documentary.”

İstanbul 2024

Best Documentary