Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush

Join us for a screening of this multi-award-winning legal drama based on the true story of Murat Kurnaz, a young Turkish-German man who was unlawfully detained in Guantanamo Bay, and his mother's legal battle for his release. In November 2001, Murat Kurnaz is arrested during a routine check in Pakistan. Suspected of being a terrorist, he ends up in the notorious US prison camp Guantánamo in Cuba at the beginning of 2002. But although his innocence is soon proven, he remains in custody because the Turkish government does not intervene and the German government rejects a corresponding offer from the US. Meanwhile, Kurnaz's mother Rabiye begins an uphill legal battle to secure her son's release. Together with German human rights lawyer Bernhard Docke, she files a lawsuit against the US government under George W. Bush. This courageous step catapults the Turkish housewife out of her terraced house in Bremen and onto the world political stage. What follows is a grueling legal process that drags on for years and takes the Kurnaz-Docke duo all the way to the US Supreme Court.

The film premiered at the 2022 Berlinale, where writer Laila Stieler and actor Meltem Kaplan, who stars as Rabiye Kurnaz, received awards for best screenplay and best actress.

The screening will start with a thematic introduction by peace and conflict researcher Benjamin Brow. After the screening, join us for a discussion over snacks and drinks.

Advanced registration is required, and please bring a photo ID for check-in. Please note that this event will take place inthe Michigan Room, on the 3rd Floor of 150 N. Michigan Ave., in the same building as the Goethe-Institut Chicago.