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Centenarian is a photo documentary about a 110 year old Kurdish woman named Feyruz and other connected stories of struggles and hope from her village in southeast Turkey. The inhabitants of Andaç village have endured many hardships since the Turkish Republic formed in 1923. Despite often being generalized in the region as “terrorists,” hope remains.
Without glossing over the harsh realities of ethnic secessionism and nationalist conflicts, the 10 minute story uncovers threads of hope for Turkish and Kurdish “brotherhood.”
As the photographer and director, I received an invitation to attend a wedding and asked if I could interview various people in Andaç. I asked them to tell their story and the story of Andaç. The events included in the story are there because the characters shared about them. Take the stories for what they are and for what they mean to the people who shared them.
The story was made with respect for the humanity of both Kurds and Turks as well as the political and ethnic complexities, which I do not claim to understand fully. Amidst the tension and unrest, I sought to find a shared humanity that pointed toward something greater.
Locals brought me to Feyruz almost immediately because she was a matriarchal figure, gentle but proud, a believer in God, and maintained a hope for non-violent solutions.
Learn more about: Mario Mattei
Mario Mattei, visionary, social entrepreneur, independent photographer, & family man. He is the President, Creative Director, & Co-Founder of the International Guild of Visual Peacemakers (IGVP). At age 4 he declared, “The way to know the future is to plan ahead.” In kindergarten he stayed in from recess to draw. When his father took him camping & hunting in Arizona, he shouldered a camera. Educated in Multimedia, Mario began professional life as a web designer and creative director. On the side, he pursued photography, published poetry, wrote fiction, invested in real estate, & recorded an EP with his rock band.…
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