Summary (ASSYRIERS) This second journey starts near Ninive, in the heartland of the Assyrian Christians, an Ancient people which preserves its own language (besides local Arabic and Kurdic) as part of its own culture. Youngster are motivated to learn ancestral crafts and affirm their identity, as by carving statues. They suffered greatly under ISIS persecution, but are proud to have taken part in the Iraqi reconquest of their territory, albeit largely devastated. Opinions differ about the need of political autonomy or general reconciliation in Iraq, which is now hopelessly divided between militias, including their own Christian army. The annual festival allows the reporter a taste (literally, distinct gastronomy is a major element) of their efforts to survive culturally, with a major part for identity-defining church(es), Catholic -with a distinct Chaldean or Syria liturgy- in this case. A visit to an ISIS-ravaged ghost town on the road to Erbil shows how grim the task is just to survive here, an archaeologist bitterly weeps the loss of unique Assyrian (an other) Ancient heritage.
Directed : Unknown
Written : Unknown
Stars : Kefah Allush
Genres : Documentary
Release date : Jul 25, 2017
Countries of origin : Netherlands
Language : Dutch
Summary (ASSYRIERS) This second journey starts near Ninive, in the heartland of the Assyrian Christians, an Ancient people which preserves its own language (besides local Arabic and Kurdic) as part of its own culture. Youngster are motivated to learn ancestral crafts and affirm their identity, as by carving statues. They suffered greatly under ISIS persecution, but are proud to have taken part in the Iraqi reconquest of their territory, albeit largely devastated. Opinions differ about the need of political autonomy or general reconciliation in Iraq, which is now hopelessly divided between militias, including their own Christian army. The annual festival allows the reporter a taste (literally, distinct gastronomy is a major element) of their efforts to survive culturally, with a major part for identity-defining church(es), Catholic -with a distinct Chaldean or Syria liturgy- in this case. A visit to an ISIS-ravaged ghost town on the road to Erbil shows how grim the task is just to survive here, an archaeologist bitterly weeps the loss of unique Assyrian (an other) Ancient heritage.
Genres : Documentary
Release date : Jul 25, 2017
Countries of origin : Netherlands
Language : Dutch
