The Town That Drove Away

synopsis

The town of Hasankeyf, located in southeast Turkey, has been inhabited for over 12,000 years. However, due to the construction of a dam, it will be flooded. The filmmakers depict the demise of the traditional way of life and community ties from the perspective of two families, one Kurdish and one Arab. Filmed over six years, this chronicle of destruction and uprooting largely dispenses with dialogue. Instead, it speaks through images of the harsh desert landscape and demolished old houses, contrasting with the artificiality of the soulless settlements where the original population is to be resettled. Although the people will gain modern housing, they will lose their jobs and become dependent on government assistance. The accompanying effect of this large-scale development project is thus the elimination of Kurdish and Arab culture in the region.

“Our observational narrative style immerses the audience in Hasankeyf's atmosphere by showing ‘how it happens’ rather than ‘what is happening,’ avoiding interviews and focusing on visual storytelling.” — Natalia Pietsch, Grzegorz Piekarski

biography

Natalia Pietsch (born 1988) and Grzegorz Piekarski (born 1989) are graduates of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Katowice. They work as cinematographers and directors. After several short feature films and documentaries, they made their feature debut with The Town That Drove Away, which won awards at several festivals, including Visions du Réel in Nyon.

film details

director:	Grzegorz Piekarski, Natalia Pietsch
producer:	Katarzyna Kostecka