Film: Radio Kobanî

Friday, 4/18/2025
1:00 - 3:00
Koret Auditorium
Main Library
Address

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

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View a screening of the documentary Radio Kobanî and discuss the film’s theme with other viewers.  

“The Syrian border town of Kobanî was occupied and destroyed by IS. When liberation came, 20-year-old Kurdish reporter Dilovan started a radio station. She and her friend Biter report on refugee camps, talk to survivors and interview fighters and musicians. The broadcasts seem to offer their listeners comfort and a sense of stability, as reconstruction gets underway and cautiously they dare to think about the future again. The film documents events in Kobanî over a three-year period, both during and after the fighting. Over subdued images of the war-torn town, Dilovan reads a letter to the child she hopes to have one day, describing the merciless terror to which IS subjected Kobanî and the terrible effects this has had on the lives of her friends and family. Slowly but surely, Dilovan is able to enjoy the lighter sides of life again: listening to music, flirting in the park, falling in love.” – International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) 

Winner of the IDFA Award for Best Dutch Documentary, 2016  

View trailer

Read more about the film on the IDFA website.  

NR, 72 mins., 2016. Closed captions (CC) in English. Contains graphic imagery. Viewer discretion advised. Directed by Reber Dosky. 

A discussion facilitated by a Magazines and Newspapers Center librarian will follow the screening.  


This program honors the diverse cultures, traditions and histories of Southwest Asian and North African heritage.

Programs that highlight how the library's vast periodicals collection can help you dig deeper in your research, expand your horizons and stay informed.


This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.


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