ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish filmmaker Taim M. Adams, originally from the Kurdish city of Afrin in northwest Syria, is developing a historical drama to be filmed in the Kurdistan Region and Australia, aiming to introduce international audiences to Kurdish stories beyond war and suffering.
“I want to introduce Kurdish identity to the world and show people what Kurds are like,” Adams told Rudaw’s Diaspora program, aired on Friday. “I don’t want people to always see Kurds in the news as victims, or to see a film that contains only war and bloodshed.”
Adams, who lives in Germany, said his upcoming film, Scars of the Fatherland, explores themes of family, ancestral roots and memory.
The film is “a Kurdish story inspired by true events that took place more than a century ago, carrying the memories of the land and its people,” he wrote on Facebook following his interview with Rudaw.
Adams said he hopes to use cinema to showcase Kurdish culture and experiences that rarely receive international attention.
“We have very beautiful stories that deserve to be shared so we can help the world understand the reality of the Kurds,” he said.
He said half of the film would be shot in the Kurdistan Region and the other half in Australia, with production work also involving Germany, the United States and Iceland.
According to its published synopsis, the film follows an Australian man whose unexpected discovery takes him to his ancestral homeland in search of truth and forgiveness.
Adams is credited as the film’s director and screenwriter. His profile with the German Directors Association lists the historical drama for 2027, although no specific release date has been announced.
For Adams, cinema is more than an artistic profession. He described it as a bridge through which he can share his ideas and perspectives with the world.
However, establishing himself in the international film industry has posed challenges. Adams said he had to prove that he could maintain his Kurdish identity and cultural background while meeting international filmmaking standards.
“It was difficult to prove to them that I am Kurdish, but that I can also make an American film using their ideas and philosophy,” he said. “But I succeeded, and I believed in myself.”
His previous work includes the 2024 martial arts film The Last Kumite, on which he served as an executive producer and assistant director. Directed by Ross W. Clarkson, the film stars Cynthia Rothrock, Billy Blanks and Matthias Hues.
Adams also directed Lion Fist, featuring Gary Daniels, Keith Cooke, Kurt McKinney and Mathis Landwehr.
He studied at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts in Damascus before pursuing further training in Germany. He is also a member of the German Directors Association.
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