8-Ball Community Inc. Presents, Commander Arian, directed by Alba Sotorra

Screening of COMMANDER ARIAN, DIRECTED BY ALBA SOTORRA, followed by discussion with Xeyal Qertel and Guy Steward In conjunction with MoMA Education, 8-Ball Community presents a screening of Commander Arian directed by Alba Sotorra, followed by a conversation on Rojava with Xeyel Qertel and Guy Steward. Sotorra’s film follows Commander Arian, a 30-year old commander in the YPG, The Women’s Protective Unit, an all-female unit fighting against Daesh (ISIS) in Rojava, the de-facto autonomous region in Northeastern Syria. Granted extensive access to the commander and her troops, Sotorra creates a portrait of a passionate woman caught in the midst of a brutal war. Following the screening Xeyal Qertel, a human rights activist and founder of the New York Kurdish Film and Cultural Festival, and Guy Steward, a New York-based YPG veteran, discuss the reality of daily life and the ongoing conflict in Rojava. Volkswagen of America is proud to be MoMA’s lead partner of education. Teen Programs are made possible by an endowment established by The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Annual Education Fund. In the Making is made possible by an endowment established by Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman.