Film Forum

1:15 & 6:00 ONLY

A riveting and shocking documentary, SABAYA follows a group of volunteers who risk their lives to rescue Yazidi women and girls (a religious minority) held captive in one of the world’s most dangerous refugee camps. The Al-hol Camp, near the Iraqi-Syrian border, shelters 73,000 ISIS supporters. Hidden among them are thousands of Yazidis who’ve been forced into sexual slavery (termed sabaya). Mahmud and Ziyad launch carefully plotted, perilous late-night rescue missions, armed only with pistols and unreliable cell phones. Kurdish director Hogir Hirori courageously goes along for this white-knuckle ride, literally dodging bullets as the group makes their escape.

SABAYA premiered in World Cinema Documentary competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival where Hirori was given the Directing Award.

SWEDEN    2021    90 MINS.    IN KURDISH & ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES 
MTV DOCUMENTARY FILMS

Presented with support from the Richard Brick, Geri Ashur & Sara Bershtel Fund for Social Justice Documentaries.

Reviews

“Gripping, harrowing, superb. Hirori’s filmmaking (he is his own cinematographer and editor) is striking, direct and unadorned, yet at times the desert vistas, tinged amber with the sand and smoke in the air, have an epic sweep.”
– Jessica Kiang, Variety

“Documents a situation so perilous, high-stakes and remarkable that Hirori could’ve made a feature about nearly anyone in his film...an impressively exciting and strikingly novel approach in chronicling a humanitarian crisis that has yet to receive its due.”
– Inkoo Kang, The Hollywood Reporter

“Riveting...a harrowing portrait of courage under fire.”
– Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com