The Intersection of New Queer Cinema and Kurdish Cinema in the Context of Ali Kemal Çınar’s Films

This article is based on the idea that the concept of “flawed cinema”, which draws a parallel between the New Queer Cinema and the Third Cinema, and Julia Garcia Espinosa’s understanding of “imperfect cinema”, which is also reflected in the discussions of Kurdish cinema, constitute an intersection point. Both terms have the possibility to be discussed within the same framework. In the article, firstly, the relationship between queer cinema and Third Cinema will be shown. Then, the discussions on Kurdish cinema in the 2000s will be examined as well as what kind of political opportunity the “flawed” films in Kurdish cinema offer will be questioned. In the last part, within the framework of the intersectionality of New Queer Cinema and Kurdish cinema, Ali Kemal Çınar’s cinema will be discussed. The director’s latest film Berîya Şevê (2021) will be interpreted from a queer perspective. In order to expand the boundaries of queer theory and make it more inclusive, it is necessary to include the echoes of the concept in various geographies that are not Western-oriented. Similarly, for the definition of queer film to expand and find its meanings in various geographies, it is necessary to look beyond films with white, middle-class and gay representation. In parallel, the relationship established between the New Queer Cinema and the Third Cinema shows that queer films are not limited to LGBTI+ representation and struggle. The idea of a “flawed” film, which is put forward in the discussions of queer cinema, also produces alternatives for how both film production and queer films can be viewed. Within this context, what a “poor” and “imperfect” image can say about Kurdish films is also discussed. The main claim of this article is that Ali Kemal Çınar’s cinema stands in an intersectional space between queer cinema and Kurdish cinema.