Kurds-Yezidis: A Dusty Look at Old Armenia

Is this for you?

If you have a thing for black-and-white regional history or just want to watch people argue over plowshares, you might get something out of Kurds-Yezidis. If you need a fast-paced plot or anything resembling a modern action beat, honestly, stay away. This movie moves at the speed of a tired ox.

The whole thing is basically about setting up a kolkhoz—that's a collective farm—in a Kurdish village in Soviet Armenia. It sounds dry as a bone on paper. Sometimes, it feels that way on screen too.

The faces tell the story

There’s this one shot of Hasmik Agopyan where she just stares off-camera for what feels like a lifetime. It’s not even a dramatic stare. She’s just looking at something off-set, probably a goat or a camera operator eating a sandwich. It’s oddly hypnotic.

The lighting in the village scenes is stark. You can see the grit on the walls and the way the shadows fall across their heavy coats. It feels real in a way that modern movies with their color grading never quite manage.

Wait, why am I watching this?

Sometimes you start watching a film and you aren't sure if you're bored or if you're learning something. That happened to me about forty minutes in. I found myself thinking about Mod lyset and how different those two worlds feel. One is all about internal light, and this one is just about the struggle of getting a tractor to start in the mud.

The performances are hit or miss. Some of the actors look like they’ve never been in front of a camera before, which actually helps. They look like actual farmers. Others are a bit too theatrical for a story that demands earthiness.

There is a scene near the middle involving a dispute over land borders that goes on forever. It’s not particularly exciting, but the way they use their hands to gesture at the hills is something else. You can tell they really want you to understand how much that dirt matters.

• The dialogue is sparse, thank goodness.
• The sound of the wind is louder than the music.
• Every actor seems to be wearing at least three layers of wool.

It’s a strange little relic. Don't go in expecting A Lesson in Love or anything that resembles a traditional narrative arc. It’s more like a document of a time that doesn't exist anymore. 🌾

I left the screen feeling like I had dust in my lungs. Maybe that's the point.