Social Justice Film Festival: Threads of a Revolution (streaming)

When Janet Biehl edited her late partner Murray Bookchin’s approach to participatory politics in the 1970s, she could never have imagined that this work would one day take her half-way across the globe. In this film, Janet explores how Murray’s political theories were adapted to ignite a women-led revolution and bring about remarkable societal transformations in North East Syria. Just as civil war erupted in 2011, imprisoned Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan recognised a unique opportunity for Syria’s Kurdish community: inspired by Murray’s theories, Ocalan’s followers were to establish self-governance within Syria, rather than fighting for an independent Kurdish state. The autonomous region of Rojava was created and Janet felt compelled to explore first-hand the impact-potential of Murray’s ideas, which, once ahead of their time, finally found a place to be put into practice. Against the ruins of war, Janet meets the women leading this revolution as they come to terms with life after ISIS. She visits academies that promote gender equality, teach feminist theories, and empower women from traditionally conservative communities to build a truly egalitarian society. Murray believed that true democracy could only be achieved by replacing existing political structures with a new participatory style of decision-making, grounded in the community. Janet learns that cities once destroyed by war now indeed host thriving neighbourhood assemblies and communes: direct democracy has replaced the dictatorship of President Bashar Al Assad. However, threats loom as Turkey’s President Erdogan invades parts of Rojava. Janet discovers the importance of armed self-protection groups in defending the new-gained freedom – and the cost to do the same.