EARTH SONG

EARTH SONG
Strana axê
Finland, Germany, 2026, DPC, color, 118’
GOLDEN OLIVE
European Feature Film Competition
➔ MON 9 NOV | 6:00 PM | SCREEN 3
Direction: Erol Mintaş
Screenplay: Erol Mintaş, Mikko Viljanen
Cinematography: Juice Huhtala
Editing: Antti Reikko, Erol Mintaş
Production design: Nanna Hirvonen
Sound design: Sebastian Schmidt
Cast: Dilan Gwyn (Rojîn), Feyyaz Duman (Ferhat), Zenan Tünc (Azad), Ali Seçkiner Alici (Nizam)
Producers: Mete Sasioglu, Erol Mintaş in coproduction with Anna Blom, Tanja Georgieva-Waldhauer
Production: Sons of Lumière (Fi), in coproduction with Jamedia Production (Fi), Elemag Pictures GmbH (De)
Distributions: Cinemanse Films, Folkets Bio
Kurdish-born Rojîn has spent almost all of her life far away from home, in Helsinki, where she works as an anaesthesiologist at a hospital. Now 40, the day-to-day business of human existence isn’t getting any easier: her relationship with her 12-year-old daughter Azad is increasingly strained, and marital life with her husband Ferhat grows tense. Azad doesn’t know that she’s adopted – just as Rojîn doesn’t know the full story about her past, but will find out when her father Nîzam visits from Sweden.
“Earth Song is the story of a family uncovering the untold histories of multidimensional characters within the European diaspora. It explores the search for identity, the emotional and physical distances between its characters, and the generational divides within one family. The film examines parenthood, unspoken truths, and the collective trauma that binds them.
Through Rojin, the main character, and her relationships, I explore what it means to confront trauma, embrace truth, and find healing. These are vital steps toward self-recovery and self-discovery, especially for those in the diaspora who carry the weight of a painful history. Only through healing can we build genuine, meaningful connections with others.
I believe human beings instinctively long for truth, even in their final moments. We hope it will make things better, though it may not. Perhaps this desire comes from a wish to leave behind a fuller life and a healthier planet."
Erol Mintaş is a Helsinki-based filmmaker and doctoral researcher with an MA in cinema, whose thesis explored Tarkovsky and existentialism. His debut feature, Song of My Mother, won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Film and Best Actor at the 2014 Sarajevo Film Festival and later earned fourteen awards worldwide. His second feature, Earth Song, premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2026. Mintaş has joined residencies including the Nipkow Programme (Berlin) and Film Independent’s Global Media Makers (Los Angeles), and participated in co-production markets such as CineLink (Sarajevo Film Festival) and the Finnish Film Affair.
2010 Snow (short)
2014 Annemin Şarkısı (Song of My Mother)
2026 Strana axê (Earth Song)
2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam – Harbour
2026 Istanbul Film Festival – Around the World
2026 Midnight Sun Film Festival – Surprise Finnish Premiere
2026 Amsterdam Kurdish Film Festival – Competition: Best Film
2026 Helsinki IFF Love & Anarchy – Spotlight Selection
2026 Berlin Kurdish Film Festival



