DESCRIPTION

Kurdistan is a region encompassing parts of Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria where the Kurds have lived for thousands of years with a rich culture and history. The long history of the Kurdish peoples is full of struggles against a harsh climate and rugged environment and efforts to attain social, economic and political justice.

Set and filmed in the mountainous province of Kurdistan, located in the western part of Iran, And thus I Was Born tells the story of a group of individuals who struggle against difficulties and hardships to achieve their goals. Their stories and journeys unfold as they travel and, at times, meet on the snow-packed roads and hills of the countryside.

Mr. Rahimi, a middle-aged traveling mentor who operates a mobile library for rural children, drives through the countryside and goes from village to village to provide children with books. He finds much joy, peace, and comfort in bringing a smile to the faces of children and finds it impossible to give up his job despite the difficulties.

The second character is a boy in his mid-teens who is going back to the village to be there as his sister goes into labour. Unable to bear the pain and suffering his sister is going through, he rushes to another village in the middle of the night to find a doctor but has to fight for his life in a wolf attack.

Dervish is a young man who makes a living as a labourer and spends the winter months walking from village to village and doing missionary work with a group of dervishes. This time, he has missed the group and is trying to catch up with the missionaries somewhere along their journey.

Ribwar is another teenaged boy who travels a long distance through the dangerous mountains and has to deal with the darkness of a cold and foggy night to find a school teacher who can answer a burning question for him and his sister.

Finally, the soldier is a young man on duty in a faraway guarding tower. He spends his long flat days writing numerous love letters for his girl, hoping to find a way to send them to her. But one day he accidentally misses the passing driver, and his letter does not make it to its destination.