A border is a separation line. It's clear, it doesn't allow any ambiguity. It doesn't allow unregulated crossing. The law is on it's side: in order to cross you must break the law.
Nothing is more artificial then a border.
This strip of land is 911 km long.
On the world's map it divides Syria from Turkey. According to those who always lived on this land, this border divides Rojava (northern Syria) from Bakur (south-east Turkey), but most important it divides families, stories, feelings, emotions, and a country that exists but you won't find on a maps.
This country is Kurdistan.
Dilges lives in Siftek, a small village about ten kilometers from Kobanî close to the turkish army positions guarding the border. He's a farmer, but he can not farm his land because the Turks fired without a reason, and kill, as happened to his cousin.
Layla Mohammed is less than 30 years old, she's the co-mayor of GireSpi, the first woman to have this position. Her town is free since a few months, but here the signs of ISIS presence are still visible.
Riza Altun, sixties, is one of PKK founders and Kurdish party and responsible for Foreign Affairs. Since more than 30 years he lives in complete secrecy, as for years Turkey has been looking
for him.
Ibrahim is a middle-aged man. He's the foreign minister of Kobani canton and defines the deal between Europe and Turkey as "criminal."
Roza is just under forty years, she's from Kobanî and says she was forced to leave the city when war came “at the front door”. She lived for several months in Turkey trying
experiencing the reception policy of turkish refugee-camps.
Messoud is a young man, around thirty. He is born an raised in Qamishlo, is a journalist and campaigner for the "No More Silence" campaign launched to break the silence of
community and international media about turkish army curfew which reduced to ruins the city of Nusaybin, just beyond border.
Zilan lives in the district of Hilelike, near the border with Turkey. His grandson Besir, just ten years old, was killed by Turkish army during a protest to break the siege of Kobani.
And then Baba, Narin, Azad, Ciwan, Xabat and thousand more.
These are the names of those who live on the border, their stories are those of a community divided by four borders in four different states.
From Kobanî to Qamishlo, on this border, many families have been divided into two. For decades, they crossed in secret and illegally the mined border to visit each other. The Turkish and Syrian armies have killed dozens, if not thousands of people on this border.
"Binxet - Under the border" is a journey between life and death, dignity and pain, struggle and freedom. It takes place along the 911 km long turkish-Syrian border. ISIS on one side,
Erdogan's Turkey on the other. In the middle the border and one hope.
This hope is called Rojava, only a point on the map of a troubled region, a region of resistance and an example of grassroots democracy. On the rifles of these fighters are many flags, carrying the same message: one of gender equality, people self-determination and peaceful coexistence.
It's on this strip of land that the most important match is played; the battle against daesh, the control and closure of the border based on the agreement between the European Union and Turkey, the repressive violence and authoritarian Erdogan dictator.
A story denouncing the great responsibility of Europe in signing an agreement that threatens the life of thousands of people.
Only a small part of the history of people that do not resign to the idea of being divided by borders.
Stories of men, women and children who are the image of non-surrender.